Beyond the Grave
by SilverMoonLuna
Summary: I died - plain and simple, the only thing is it wasn't really plain.. or simple for that matter - in fact its quite complicated. My name is Genevra Molly Weasley, This is my story my life,and my death, please R & R
1. Prologue

** Beyond the Grave **

** Prologue **

Dead

A small word – only four letters, but its meaning can open up infinite possibilities and create many questions.

As far back as time itself people have questioned death….. what happens when the body ceases to exist? Do you just fade away into nothingness? Little more than a memory kept alive in the hearts of those you loved and who loved you?

Or is there more out there? Muggles have asked these questions for centuries yet never found any answers …

Wizards have asked the same questions, and come back with only a slightly better account, we know there is a soul, and it does go somewhere, but where and why remain a mystery.

Ghosts have come back to us, proving that there is existence after death, but either they have lost all memory of the mysteries of death, or that information in itself was never revealed to them…

Perhaps I should break into my musings a moment to introduce myself…

            My name is Genevra Molly Weasley, although I have been called Ginny as long as I can remember…

            This is my story.

And as with any story we must have a beginning, and where will I start….  Perhaps my birth? Or my earliest memories of a poor but happy family with six brothers and loving parents

            While that is a story, indeed even a beginning, it is not where I will start … for my story will begin with my death.

****

It's a funny feeling realising you're dead, realising that you're never going to do all the things you wanted to do with you're life, realising that this is it, for eternity you are going to wander.

Because that what it is, a realization.... because nothing actually changes… not immediately at least.

The first thing I learned about death is why some people are ghosts, and some are not. In truth we are all ghosts, we are just living on different planes of existence. Ghost like Nick and Myrtle, they're just on a different level.

Death is all about levels, what you would think of as ghosts, Nick, Myrtle, the Fat Friar, and the Bloody Baron, they are each on the lowest rung of the ladder, they realised they were dead, but they chose not to go on.

I'm the next level up, I'm dead, but I didn't know I died at first - that makes all the difference.

 Because I didn't know I died, and because my death was unexpected, I wasn't given the choice to stay, or to move on…. My body skipped straight to the next plain. I'm doomed to wander the lower levels of death, until I can find peace.

 But what makes my fate worse, is that I am unable to have contact with the living, and I am also unable to have contact with the higher dead.

I'm in between, a limbo if you would, my only reassurance is that I am not here alone, all those who died the way I died are somewhere on my level, at least those who have not yet found peace and moved on.

  I just have to find them, and even when you're dead, it's a big world out there.

 But I know there are others here; I know this because others shared my fate,

 I am but one of many victims of murder.

I am Ginny Weasley and this is my story, if you wish to learn more, please read on.

[SilvermoonLuna: ok this idea for a story just came out of nowhere, some of you may have read Remember me by Christopher Pike – I suppose that it partially my inspiration, If you like the beginning or even if you don't please review, I don't think I've seen anything of this sort on fanfiction and that is part of the reason why I am writing it, I would love to know what people think!]


	2. the Greatest Prank ever!

**Disclaimer:** _anything you recognise is not mine … god bless JK!!!_

**Chapter 1 – Beyond the Grave.******

** The Greatest Prank Ever!  **

My story begins with a fateful morning…

                        I awoke to the sun shining brightly through the window and playing on my face. This in itself confused me for at Hogwarts I made it a rule to sleep with my bed curtains closed, after sharing a house with so many other people I am very fond of my privacy.

            When I eventually opened my eyes and they adjusted to the light beaming in through the window that I noticed the familiar pink wallpaper, faded from age, and my desk cluttered with my belongings…

            I stretched and let out a yawn realising that I must have dreamed I was at Hogwarts, because how could I have transported myself here overnight, in my sleep no less.

In all it had been a realistic dream and at least it was a deviation from my usual dreams of Hogwarts or more correctly nightmares which always seemed to find they're way to the chamber.

I stepped out of bed, sidestepping my slippers which lay unwanted on the patchy carpet, I couldn't understand why Mam had ever got me them, I was never happier than when I was barefoot, I love the textures of things against me feet, although the occasional thing Fred and George would leave lying around wasn't quite the sensation I found desirable.

Still half asleep I made my way to the kitchen, not pausing to dress or check my appearance, holidays, no need to rush about…

****

When I reached the kitchen I sat in my favourite chair with my knees pulled up in front of me, Bill and Charlie seemed to be caught up in a heated discussion about the Order of the Phoenix, and Mam stood with her back to me looking out the window as she stood over her cauldron making breakfast, It was die to this that none of them made any sign of notice on my arrival, or at least so I thought.

I made no effort to speak to them, quickly realising that the longer they didn't notice me the more likely I was to get some decent information about what the order were up to. It's something I picked up when I was younger, in a large family like mine the quieter and more unnoticed you are, the more likely you would be to overhear something they didn't necessarily want you to know.

Charlie glanced at mum who was still stood with her back turned, "mum, do you know when they're having the next meeting, when's Snape …"

 "Charlie Weasley, you should know better" interrupted Mum, "for all you know the walls themselves could be listening, why you two insist on discussing order matters where anyone can hear you I will ne… "

It was now Mums turn to be interrupted as a black eagle owl flew into the kitchen and landed on the table, Bill reached for the letter,

"Mum, it's for you, it's got the Hogwarts Seal on it" she took the envelope, "Ronald Weasley what have you been up to this time, always getting yourse"

She skimmed the first line of the letter and gripped the edge of the table, her hand covering her mouth, Bill was on his feet in an instant,

"Mum, what is it?"

I also stood, a sense of foreboding running through me, "Mum, what it is?" I asked making my presence known; but she didn't seem to hear me.

She collapsed into a nearby chair, "Mum what is it?" I asked again but still she said nothing, shock! I quickly surmised, Charlie grabbed the letter from her hand where it was held limply, he turned to Bill his face white,

"Get dad quick, tell him, tell him it's Ginny"

I laughed "Charlie, don't be daft, I'm here, I'm fine" but it was as I said this that my stomach sank into my shoes, a thought had occurred to me, Perhaps Hogwarts, perhaps it wasn't a dream….

I spun to face mum's clock, quickly looking at the burrow expecting, _or was it hoping?_ to see my hand, Dads was on work, as was Percy's, even the twins were at work I noted, My sinking feeling growing deeper I sought out Ron and Harry's hands (Harry's had been added when he moved in) and to my dismay my suspicions were confirmed .. they were both at Hogwarts.

Finally I looked at the section labelled Home, Mum's Bill's and Charlie's were there sure enough... But mine? My hand had vanished from the clock.

****

It was ten minutes later when dad apparated in the kitchen, still no-one seemed to notice me, meanwhile I had finally worked it out – Fred and George, they've put me under a disillusionment charm and a silencing charm, and the apparated me back to the burrow … that had to be it – and Mum and Charlie, they were upset because that letter said I've run away from Hogwarts, boy was I going to get those two, worrying mom like this, they must really be getting good at magic though to tamper with Mam's clock like that.

The letter had fluttered onto the table, instead of reading it I waited for mums explanation to dad…

"Arthur, it's Ginny, the letter, that letter, it says she's gone"

Mum blanched again, whilst Charlie and Bill were striding around the room impatiently, dad ran his fingers through his hair, something he only did when he was worried,

I made up my mind on the spot … Fred and George I'm going to hex you into next Wednesday.

Bill finally turned to Mam and Dad...

"Well come on are we going?"

They nodded and Mam stoked the fire opening the pot of floo powder on the hearth, throwing the powder into the fire she shouted

"Hogwarts Dumbledores Office"

She vanished into the flames, Dad, Bill and Charlie were quick to follow and it was as I grabbed my own handful of powder that I realised I couldn't hold it…. It slipped right through my hand, "Damn you Fred and George" I hissed and added more hexes onto the list of things I would do as soon as I got out of this.

My only chance was to try and apparate, yes I was too young, but I had been sneaking peeks into Ron's Apparition test book all through the summer, the theory was simple enough, you just focused on where you wanted to go and imagined yourself being there.

Praying that I wouldn't splinch myself I quickly thought of Hogwarts, of Professor Dumbledores office, and concentrated on moving my body there…

A moment later I materialised in his office, and grinned... I had done it, youngest apparition ever! Boy would they be surprised when it was my turn to study that!

Mom was looking decidedly white and dad, Bill and Charlie also seemed pretty lost for words, Dumbledore's twinkle had gone from his eyes, and it was Charlie who broke the silence "how?" he whispered, but no-one replied.

Dumbledore rose from the seat, "professor?" I asked, but it was no good, he couldn't hear me either.

He motioned to the rest of them to follow him, and began leading the way to the hospital wing, I began wondering why we would be going there of all places and I began to worry, there was only one person I know of that spent a lot of time in the Hospital wing and I knew in the pit of my stomach that if anything had happened to him things would never be alright again … what if he thought me leaving was his fault, what if he'd done something rash… a memory flitted back to me, a momentary recall but that sight, it was Harry shouting, had we argued? I couldn't remember.

As we walked down the corridor we attracted many looks, It wasn't often that an entire family descended on Hogwarts part way through the school year.

The most surprising however was the Ravenclaw ghost, she smiled gently as we passed, but as I walked by she glanced at me and something like shock flared into her grey eyes, she darted through the wall behind her before I had chance to speak to her.

I decided I would catch up with her later, for now the matter ay hand was more important,  and I followed Bill who was taking up the rear through the heavy wooden doors that lead into the Hospital wing.

The usually quiet room was broken by sobbing, and I looked to the source to see Hermione weeping, and Ron sat with his arm around her, his expression one of sadness. They were sat by a bed in the far end of the room and the curtain hid the patient, but I already knew who was in that bed, it would be Harry, and I knew it was entirely my fault.

Madam Pomfrey bustled over to us, a look of pity on her face,

"You're here"

         She turned and led us to the bed in the far end of the room. Sure enough Harry was led there, but he was awake, his expression was one I could not recognise, Ton in the meantime had looked up, seeing mum he removed his arm from Hermione's shoulders and ran to give her a hug.

            Mum smoothed his hair,

He whispered quietly to her, "it's my fault mum, I should have been watching her, Ginny, she shouldn't have been left alone."

      Realising he was that upset over me, that was strange, I had never realised he cared that much. I was really going to kill the twins when I saw them, making everyone think I had run away, this was the worst prank they had ever pulled, but even as I thought this, my heart was sinking, the grey Lady, she had seen something, and that something had shocked her….

And it was as Madam Pomfrey pulled back another curtain to reveal a crisp white cotton sheet that covered something about 5 foot long that another thought struck me… how could I have forgotten, Hermione said it all the time … it was in that book …

Nobody could Apparate in Hogwarts!

          Before the sheet was pulled back I knew what I would see, and it was as mom broke down and Bill clutched Charlie's arm that I knew my life would never ever be the same again.

The red hair strewed over the table, I knew that hair, I struggled to tame it every morning, and the face, the pale white face, serene and calm, I knew every feature, every last freckle, It was like looking in a mirror…..

But why did I look calm, when every fibre of my being burned with intensity, and finally the truth struck home… I muttered apologies to Fred and George and revoked the hex threats…

If this was a prank it was the greatest prank of all time, but I knew, it wasn't a prank, my life could never be the same, because my life had become my death.

****

_A/N – so what you think??? Please read and review, I want feedback on this story - _

_Remorseful Passion – thanks for the review...JK has now announced on her official site that Ginny's canon name is in fact Genevra Molly Weasley. – hope that clears it up for you._

_SilvermoonLuna___


	3. Realizations

**Disclaimer:** Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!

**Chapter 2** – Beyond the Grave

**Reminder:** _If this was a prank it was the greatest prank of all time, but I knew it wasn't a prank; my life could never be the same, because my life had become my death._

Realizations

            My world and everything around me was falling apart, Dead? How could I be dead? Me Ginny Weasley, the whole thought was laughable, the worst thing I've ever done is to .. well actually I suppose there's the whole diary thing, I did kill all those chickens, but still surely I didn't deserve to die, after all I was just a puppet in ..

"My baby, she's too young, what harm did she ever do anyone?"

Mam, I'd forgotten about mum… I'd forgotten about everyone…. Bill and Charlie were there, Bill was even crying, I'd never seen Bill cry but he did now and those tears were for me.. Charlie was just sat on the floor running his hand through his hair, not seeming to know where to look, Hermione ha her head in Harry's sheets, and sobs could be heard once in a while whilst Ron had returned to her side, and was staring at a painting opposite.

            Harry still hadn't spoken, and he just sat there with a strange gleam in his eyes, it's was then that I noticed his hand, his knuckles shone white from clutching the sheet … so he cared too? Harry was mad and it was because of me?

            Dad meanwhile was doing his best to calm mum down, but even he was white as a ghost, _Ha! A ghost... Good one Gin_... The irony of it struck me, and then another thought occurred to me…. Ghost? Was _I_ a Ghost? Surely not, someone would have see….. But someone had seen me, and I realised slowly that she had known…

            I made up my mind in that moment, there was nothing I could do here, I could do nothing to stop mum's heart from breaking, or to dry anyone's tears, I would be of no use to anybody until I at least knew what I was.

            It was with true Weasley determination that I made up my mind, no use crying over spilt milk after all, or dead bodies… ha ha! It was time to get down to business, my plan – to find the Grey Lady…

            I quickly realised that if I were some sort of ghost it was about time I started acting like one, no more waiting for people to open doors... I should be able to walk through walls… so I tried … I walked straight to the heavy doors of the hospital wing my mind grimly set…. 

"Ow!, damn that hurt," the doors creaked in agreement… ok so I could not walk through walls, I sat on the floor rubbing my head, If you've ever walked into a door by accident you can imagine how much it hurts, I say by accident, because really I had to be the first person in history who was stupid enough to walk into a wall intentionally…

            As I was sat there deciding how I would leave the room I became aware of the conversation going on behind me, "imagining things Charlie… "

"No, Mrs Weasley I heard it too, it was like someone crashed into the doors" Harry had finally spoken..

"your all on edge" said Madam Pomfrey, "it's to be expected, besides your in…

Charlie and Harry, they heard me? Well the doors at least … well in that case there was only one thing for it, I stood up, took a few steps back and bracing myself for the pain I ran at the door…

The pain never came… Instead I flew through the door, and landed with a smack on the floor the opposite side.

Did someone open the doors? I spun around to check, but they were still closed, I had run through the door….. But how did I do it? I decided to save that thought for later, and got to my feet, and headed for the one place I was bound to find a Ravenclaw - - the Library.

            I headed to the Library. barely taking in the muted conversations going on around me, now and again I would dodge out of the path of a student walking to class, and all the while the same thought replayed again and again in my mind, what were they doing, I was dead, a classmate had died, and they were going to class. I mean what was Dumbledore playing at… my thoughts were interrupted as I heard someone else mention my name…

"Ginny?"

"Not today, have you? I know her family were all here earlier, do you think she's alright?"

I spun around, the two girls talking, Emily Fischer and Gemma Taylor, both of them Gryffindor 6th years who shared my dorm room... If they didn't know ….. Did anyone know??? I'm dead, and my own roommates don't know it? Why hadn't Dumbledore told anyone?? Were they keeping my death a secret?? This thing was getting more and more complicated... I turned and blindly hurried on down the corridor once again skipping out of the paths of oncoming students and suffering a few near misses.

            I entered the library, thankful that Madame Pince always left the door open, and headed to the reference area, lokking between the tall stacks filled with books on various subjects…. Sure enough my target was sat at one of the desks reading from a ghostly volume in front of her…

            "Excuse me?" I whispered, almost certain that she wouldn't hear me, but she looked up, straight in my direction, and gave me a sad smile.. "You know!"

            I nodded, she looked around,

"You want to know why they can't see you"

            Once again it wasn't a question … _she's done this before_ I thought to myself stifling a giggle… she rose from her seat... well actually her feet floated through the middle of it,

"Follow me" she said quietly and glided towards a nearby wall … immediately I panicked.. "wait!" I yelled, "I can't get through there"

            She turned back to me …. "I'd forgotten what it was like to be young" she sighed, "first lesson then, your no longer alive, so stop thinking as if you were alive, walls doors, even steel hold no restrictions for our kind, or yours" she added as an afterthought….

"So you know what I am then?"

she nodded patiently…. "we will discuss it all later… first we must go somewhere we can talk, forget the wall is there, in simplest turns it's time to start thinking outside the box"

I made-up my mind and took a deep breath, and began to run at the wall … Ow! It's no use, once again I had ended sat on the floor with my nose throbbing, the Grey Lady meanwhile was giggling at me...

"Thanks" I glared in her direction… she merely inclined her head... "Try again, forget there is a wall  ... there is no barrier, because you are able to do anything"

I stood up, and this time walked towards the wall repeating to myself, "there is no wall, there is no wall" sure enough when I stopped and looked around I was stood in the corridor the other side – I heard claps from my left hand side and turned to see the lady stood there,

 "Well done, follow me"

            Without waiting for my response she turned and glided down the corridor occasionally nodding at students she passed, how was it they could see her and not me, I thought.

 I struggled to keep up with her, I was still used to using my feet and physically walking whereas you couldn't see her feet because of her long skirts, but I had a sneaking suspicion that if I had looked under her skirt her legs would just taper of in to nothingness .. I was almost certain she merely floated.

We rushed through the old corridors now almost empty now except for the few stragglers as people had been called to class. The portraits past by in blur and I didn't really take in much of what was happening around me, focusing more on the matter at hand.

            Finally we came to a stop; I looked around me at the planet models and star maps and the gleaming telescopes pointed at the huge iron framed windows, and realised we had arrived in the astronomy tower..

"Its daytime, we can talk here without interruption" The grey lady smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes … for a moment I wondered if the expression of a ghost could be caught in the eyes, but my question was quickly resolved as I saw the depths of emptiness in hers, and the sadness that seemed to cloud them.

"I suppose you have many questions, it's only natural with death, especially one as unforeseen as your own. But first I request that you allow me to talk" … I nodded mutely while she glanced out the window before taking a deep _breath?_ And beginning...

"Ginny, there is very little I will be able to tell you, but first let me begin with the most obvious question of all  ... I do not know why you died Ginny, or who killed you …. These are things that only true witnesses would be aware of, and indeed if it was only yourself and one other there then you would take that knowledge to you grave and only they could disclose it.

As for what you are …. You are a ghost, no more no less... But you exist on a different plain to the Hogwarts ghosts that you would have come to know during your time here … you can still spend your time around humans, but you will not be able to have contact with them….

   I nodded, "But why … why can't they see me?"

            She gave me a sad look, "there are many more ghosts that roam Hogwarts, the ones you can see and know, we are only the tip of the iceberg, we are the ones who do not move on, we remain on they're plain, you are another.

            You have moved on but are unable to go any further, because you have a job to do, the same job that all your kind do, you have to find out who it was that killed you, you will be unable to move on until this is done"

Hang on a minute "Killed?" I asked incredulously "who would want to kill me? I never did anything to anyone! You're wrong, besides that I was in Hogwarts, nobody can get into Hog….."

I broke off as realisation struck me – I was right no one could get into Hogwarts, it's the safest place on the earth which meant one thing only …. Whoever killed me was inside Hogwarts, and they could kill again.

_[A/N – so what you think? Please please please please review!!!]_

_Silvermoonluna___


	4. Feeling the Wind

Disclaimer: Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!! 

Chapter 3 - Beyond the Grave

**Reminder:** _No one could get into Hogwarts; it's the safest place on the earth which meant one thing only …. Whoever killed me was inside Hogwarts, and they could kill again._

~*~*~* Getting to Grips *~*~*~

            The Grey Lady placed a hand on my arm, surprisingly her touch was no longer icy cold, instead it just felt kind of tingly, sort of like when your hand goes to sleep when you sit on it too long… 

"I have to find out who killed me" I said in a flat tone, she merely nodded in agreement, I looked at her face, and realised I knew very little about her, she had always been the Grey Lady, the Ravenclaw ghost, never anything more, she appeared to be very young, she had probably been about my age when she died, but the clothes she always wore, the old fashioned style dress they made her look much older. 

"What's your real name?" I asked uncertainly,

 for a moment she appeared shocked…

"you know, you're the first pupil to ask me that" she smiled to herself, 

"it's a long time since I told anybody my true name, I've been the Grey Lady for so long now, but seeing as though you asked, it's Jane" 

Jane…  a simple name, not half as commanding as the grey lady, now that was a title I mused, perhaps I should even have my own title now I'm dead,  The red lady? Nope, too similar to Jane's, I needed something commanding, regal even.. my thoughts wandered and I focused on a star chart pinned to the opposite wall. 

Jane was studying me, 

"what are you thinking?" she asked….. I shared my thoughts about a title, and she laughed, 

"Well mine followed on from life" she said thoughtfully, "people knew me as Lady Jane Grey, I was even queen of all England for 11 days, although I never wanted it"

I gasped, all thoughts of a title for myself forgotten;  Queen of all England, and now she haunted Hogwarts.. 

"were you a witch?" I asked, 

She nodded,

 "Yes, but my people never knew, I hid it well, shame I didn't tell them really, then they would have just burnt me at the stake, and a simple cooling charm would have worked, and I wouldn't be here talking to you now"  
            

She broke off staring out the window at the great lake which was gleaming in the morning sun.

"how did you die then?" I asked hesitantly, "if you don't want … 

"no, it's alright" she interrupted, turning back to me.

 "I was beheaded, for treason against the queen, plotting to steal the throne, although in reality it was my cousin that did all the plotting, they just used me because my bloodline was closer to the throne"

"But if you were beheaded...

"How have I got my head?" She interrupted "your thinking of Nick aren't you?" she said thoughtfully..  I nodded, it was easy to see why she was the Ravenclaw ghost. 

"Nick only looks like that because he wants to have a hinge on his neck, we can control our appearance look however we like, That's why the bloody Baron always has those bloodstains, he seems to think that because he's the Slytherin ghost he has too look scary, although really the rest of us are grateful, because it means he can control Peeves….

She turned to look me in the eyes, catching me by surprise…

"I know what your going to ask …. So here is your answer….

"we cannot, tell the living of the dead, or that we can see them, because you see we would never be given our own peace, it was done many years ago, wizards even built a trap for us, so they could hold us and make us talk to they're dead relatives, especially in cases of murder, and even now some of our kind get caught there, and your kind to…. but you shouldn't worry….. Your family will cope without hearing from you….. I've seen it time and time again…. 

you're no longer one of them…. 

your thoughts now should not be for the living but the dead. I cannot, and will not speak to them for you"

I nodded, my one hope dashed momentarily until I reasserted myself determinedly, 

I would find a way to speak to my family again, If it was through this trap, and meant I got captured then it was worth the risk, I would do anything to let them know I was alright.

***^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^***

I sat on the window ledge after Jane had left, gazing down into the castle grounds, at the many pupils going about they're usual day, the breeze carried they're voices and laughter up to me, _did they know there was a murderer in Hogwarts?_  
  


Seeing them gathered with there friends caused a torrent of thoughts, questions… 

_ would I ever run around classes again? Would I have any friends to giggle with? Would I be able to sit in the hot sun with the cool waters of the lake lapping around my toes, laughing at Ron's jokes and Hermione's temper? _

Perhaps the grey…** no…. **Jane, perhaps she would be my friend….. but still she's just a ghost…..  Just a ghost -- _well what are you Guinevere Weasley? Alive?  I don't think so!_

I reprimanded myself, I had better get used to this ghost business, 

_what__ were my limitations? Where were my boundaries? Could I still feel? Not pain or love or anger, I knew I still I had my emotions, but plain and simple physical touch? Was it possible? Would anyone ever love me? Not because they have to but because they want to_? I had hundreds of questions and I decided, I had a lifetime, correction eternity, in which to find them.

And to address the first question, physical touch, physical pain… I knew just the solution….. I stepped through the mesh of iron and glass that was the window, for the first time fully aware of what I was doing, and with this knowledge, further secrets were revealed to me, I felt the actual composition, _or was it the spirit? _of the window, and was therefore very glad to step out of the mixture of atoms, and onto the narrow ledge beneath the window feeling a shudder pass down my spine..

I knew what I had to do, and gulping in my breath, _I still breathe?_  I allowed myself to fall forward from the sill in a swan dive… 

It was only as I was rushing to the ground below, that a panic overtook me, _what if I really did still feel pain? _This would hurt. But worse still _what if I just kept falling?, what if the ground didn't stop me?_ I am no longer a corporeal being, I could fall right through the earth and come out the other side in the world! _I always had wanted to travel to __Australia_ I thought to myself just as I neared the moment of impact, closed my eyes and braced myself for landing…..

***^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^***

            I opened my eyes and looked around me, somehow I had teleported to the Gryffindor common room, I had never impacted with the ground, I remembered my 'apparition' from this morning and realised that I must have subconsciously transported myself out just before I came into contact with the ground.

            But my experiment it had worked after all I realised miserably, I knew, and that knowledge tore me apart inside..

After all, what use is eternity, if you can't feel the wind on your face.

[a/n – sorry bout the short chappie, got a few days off work now, so I'm hoping to add some more soon J

Darlon – thanks for the suggestions, at the moment I'm trying to create a sense or urgency, she's just realised she's dead, she's not going to be taking time to stop and smell the roses yet well metaphorically speaking of course! – I am hoping to include all that later though]


	5. First steps

Disclaimer: anything you recognise isn't mine! God bless JK!

**Chapter 4 - Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder**: _But my experiment had worked I realised miserably, and that knowledge tore me apart, because what is eternity when you can't feel the wind on your face?_

*~*~*~* First Steps*~*~*~*

            The rest of the week seemed to flow by in a blur, I occasionally caught sight of one of the house ghosts and people I knew around school, but I wasn't interested, call it self pity if you would, I just didn't want to know. 

            In life I had never been that popular, the whole diary thing when I was in the first year made others shun me, although It's possible I realise now that I distanced myself from them, my fear of letting anyone get close, the knowledge of what I could be preventing me, holding me back. 

I suppose this is why I tended to stick with Hermione, Ron's friend, although this was probably because she frequently spent her summers with us, at The Burrow, and later at Grimmauld Place.

            My only other true friend really was Luna Lovegood, other people just didn't understand Luna, perhaps it was this along with the fact that we had known each other prior to Hogwarts, whatever it was I had never held back with Luna, and we had been firm friends since our first year.

            It was as I wandered the corridors of Hogwarts musing over my life and my death that I began to make my first steps to my new existence, _well I couldn't really call it a life could I._

            It's funny really, when you realise you have an eternity to spend, all time and reason goes right out the window, there's no need to rush, there's nowhere to go, and this in itself stops you, you begin to appreciate the smaller things in life, you notice things you never knew were there, people you never knew existed. 

            I found myself taking time, wandering aimlessly around the castle, in much the same manner as the ghosts _I still can't think of myself that way_ always had. 

I spent a great deal of time watching people, learning for the first time how each teacher had his or her own little quirks, 

Professor McGonagall would sit and mark every one of her papers each evening, and at precisely 5pm she would stop for a drink of muggle tea, 

Professor Flitwick meanwhile, would do a little jig on his pile of books every single time a student mastered a new spell, 

I  can't believe I didn't notice that one while I was still in his classes, it was really quite funny to watch, but It occurred to me that previously I had walked around with my eyes closed, wrapped up in my own miniscule problems.  
  


            I also found that I now needed to keep an eye on all my family, It hurt to watch them but with a morbid fascination I could no leave them alone, I visited the burrow constantly that first week, and on every visit mums eyes were tearstained, Ron refused to leave his room (Dumbledore had given him, Hermione and Harry time off school to deal with my death) whilst the twins never smiled, and dad stayed sat in his favourite chair never leaving the house.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The inevitable moment came when Dumbledore finally had to admit to the school what had happened to me, as they could postpone my funeral no further; he called a big assembly in the Great Hall, in fact only Ron Harry and Hermione were absent, I just stood to the side, listening to what he had to tell my old classmates.. 

They filled into the hall whispering excitedly, and I don't think anyone at that point realised something bad had happened, there were rumours flying around of course and I heard several whispers about me and Harry eloping together, like that would really happen, and whispers from the other sixth years that I had left school early along with Harry, Ron and Hermione to go to some special training camp for future aurors.

I also saw Luna as she wandered into the hall alone, her face as much of a puzzle as ever, and it was only momentary but I'm almost certain she sensed me, because as she drew close to my position she stared right at me, 

"Luna?" I asked stepping forward, _could she see me?_

She didn't answer and I realised that although she was looking in my direction her eyes weren't focused on me but on the wall behind me, she eventually tuned away and starting humming to herself as she made her way to the Ravenclaw table.

When they were all finally in the hall and sat down, Professor Dumbledore stood clearing his voice and motioning for silence.

"It is my unfortunate duty, to inform you all today of another loss in our number. Many of you did not know Ginny Weasley, and many of you who did, never really took the time to get to know her. It is with great regret that Miss Weasley has become another casualty of Voldemort's uprising" a few people looked at him uneasily as he said the name and several even shuddered visibly.

"Miss Weasley was an excellent student and a true asset to this school" continued Dumbledore…

But I found I didn't want to know what he had to say about me, I closed my eyes and imagined myself to be at the Burrow, materializing there a moment later. 

Dad had finally left his seat, today he'd even made an effort to shave, and looked semi presentable, they seemed to be involved in some sort of family meeting, and everyone but Ron was sat at the table, having some sort of discussion.

"the 5th of May then, next week" said Bill decidedly, 

"but my little girl" whimpered Mum, while Charlie sat with his arm around her, 

"mum it's for the best" he consoled, "Ginny's not going to come back, and she had to be buried sometime"

Dad meanwhile was sat with his hands on his head leaning on the kitchen table, whilst Fred and George both sat saying nothing, both of them looking decidedly white, and I was certain that George's eyes looked red and Puffy. 

"Mum we have to bury her, Ginny's dead, and no amount of crying will bring her back, you have to face up to it!"

"Percy!" scolded Bill, "do you have to be so goddam cold hearted", he yelled

"that's your sister your talking about not some nameless nobody, she's not another bloody statistic" he continued, "It's our  little sister, its my Gin" he continued breaking down and burying his head in his hands all anger forgotten, he shuddered visibly.

 Percy meanwhile just set his lips in a grim line and glared around the room almost daring someone else to challenge him.

I couldn't do this, I couldn't sit by and listen detachedly while they planned my funeral, I couldn't sit and watch they're pain, Bill had even sworn for me, I'd never heard Bill swear before that, he was always so happy usually, I think that was my problem, they were all usually happy, and now the family was miserable and in tatters and it was all my fault.

I decided to check up on Ron, him being the only one not involved in this discussion, and I made my way toward the narrow staircase that led up to the higher floors and the bedrooms.

I paused for a moment as I passed my own room and looked in seeing my bed neatly made, and my belongings untouched. I went and sat on my bed, hugging my knees to myself, my room looked like I had never left it, and Mum couldn't have touched it since... well since any of it.

Sitting there on my own bed that I could no longer sleep in, amongst my own belongings, that I could never touch, was one of the worst things I could possibly do I became aware, this would just cause me further pain, further torment, it was like taking a child to a toyshop and showing it all the wonderful toys and then taking it home with no new toys, to play with its only doll a sad supplement for the magnificent toys in the shop.

I forced myself to leave my room, but instead of leaving by the door I passed through the wall into Ron's room, where he Harry and Hermione were all sat.

"Ginny wouldn't have done something like that" Harry said determinedly……. done what I wondered

"but Harry how else do you explain it" interrupted Hermione "they already decided on the cause of deat…"

"MY SISTER DID NOT KILL HERSELF" Ron roared at her, I gaped at him in shock, Kill myself? Suicide? What the heck were they talking about, "I was murdered! I wouldn't kill myself " I blurted, 

"but that's where all the evid.. " Hermione replied insistently. 

"Hermione, do you really believe that?" asked Harry quietly "If Ginny stood for anything it was life, she wouldn't have killed herself, she had no reason, and that wouldn't explain my attack either would it!"

"they could be unrelated" retorted Hermione persistently, "look" she said " I don't want to believe Ginny killed herself any more than you two do, but that is what the healers said, they do this job all the time, they wouldn't get it wrong"

"Ginny wouldn't do it, she was happy, she had friends, she had a life" replied Ron quietly having recovered from his previous outburst, "I know my sister, and she would have come to one of us if she had any problems" he continued.

"What about our second year, she didn't come to us then" persisted Hermione, 

"She was a different girl then" replied Harry "she was scared and she had no-one to turn to"

"but she didn't have…"

"SHE HAD ME"  Harry interrupted Hermione, 

I looked at Harry seeing the tears in his eyes, 

"it was my fault" he continued, "I should have looked after her, I should have been there to protect her"

Hermione realise she had pushed him too far, 

"Harry I"

"Forget it" he interrupted bitterly and left the room … 

            What was all that about? Why was Harry so upset? He couldn't have done anything to save me, why would he? And why did they think I committed suicide? the whole thing its such a .. 

Hermione interrupted my thoughts, 

"I miss Ginny, why did she have to die" she said breaking into tears,

Ron walked over to her and threw his arms around her, 

"I miss her too" he replied, "but you know Ginny wouldn't want us to be like this, at each others throats, she wouldn't want us to be sad, she would want us to move on"

Hermione nodded 

"but what about Harry, he's taking this so hard, he always has to pro…."

"it's not that" interrupted Ron, "Hermione your so smart, but sometimes you don't see what's in front of your face, I mean look how long it took you to realise I liked you" he managed a small smile,

"Harry's not like this because he couldn't protect her, Harry was in love with Ginny, he told me the night before she died, he came and asked me if I would mind my best mate dating my little sister, I told him I couldn't be happier, but he never got a chance to tell her, she died, and she didn't even know"

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[A/N – more soon, please feedback, I want opinions on his chappie – luna]       


	6. A Life More Ordinary!

**Disclaimer:** anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!

 **Chapter 5 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder:** _Harry was in love with Ginny, but he never had the chance to tell her, she died and she didn't know._

*~*~*~* A Life More Ordinary *~*~*~*

            Harry? Harry was in love with me? And he didn't tell me, he told Ron! I was furious, he could really pick his timing couldn't he, trust him to wait until I couldn't be with him, trust him to keep it a secret, and suicide I mean who did they think I was, I may be many things but I have never been a coward, they put me in Gryffindor, where they put the brave for gods sake! I didn't kill myself, I was murdered! I felt angry, angry because people believed that I Ginny Weasley would have killed myself, angry because My life had ended so soon, and angry at a world that could take yet another person Harry loved away from him, hadn't he suffered enough, what was this? Karma? Was Harry a serial killer In his last life?  _Last life, that's rich, I mean you don't see me getting on with another life do you!_

            Hermione sighed, "they're never going to leave him alone are they Ron? They take away everyone and everything he loves, one of these days he's going to stop fighting, they'll tip him over the edge, Harry's strong, but every time someone close to him is taken away a little more light leaves his eyes, and his heart hardens a little bit more"

            Ron kissed her on the forehead, I was a bit embarrassed at seeing my brother and his girlfriend so intimate, I mean they had been dating for just over a year now, but they never did more than hold hands or cuddle in public, Hermione had always insisted that as head girl she couldn't be seen getting all cosy with her boyfriend, because it would undermine her authority, Ron meanwhile couldn't have given a toss if the world saw him snog Hermione, an attitude that had earned him a slap for his trouble on more than one occasion.

            I had always envied Ron and Hermione, they seemed to have it so simple, how many other people could find their soul mate in the first place they looked, I thought bitterly, I had had several boyfriends, Michael, Dean, even Neville, but I had always found I could never make that connection, those two were linked and you could see it, while the rest of us wandered aimlessly from one relationship to the next. 

            It wasn't exactly true though was it, I knew from the first moment I saw Harry, the moment he stood on that platform at Kings Cross not knowing how to pass the barrier, that it was him I loved, and would always love. He had looked so lost back then, so innocent, already weighed down with trouble, but a light shone in his face despite everything, and it was that light that drew me to him, like a moth to a flame.

            After Fred and George and Ron had brought him back to the Burrow a year later, I couldn't bear to be around him, I shut myself in my room, aware that if I saw him my face would show him my feelings, and it was something he couldn't know. When I found that diary that year I used it as an output for all my thoughts and fears, I was so scared that he would find out and dismiss me as a silly crush, and it was these thought's I shared with Tom. 

            I should have known better, mum had always told me never to trust anything if you couldn't see where it's brains were kept, but I didn't care, Tom was a friend, he listened, without judgement, and it wasn't until it was too late that I realised that it was Tom, that it was the diary causing all my problems, the blackouts, the blood on my robes, I threw it in the toilets of the girls bathroom, hoping that it would be flushed into the great lake, and that with its loss all my problems would be gone.

            When I saw Ron and Harry with that diary I panicked, I had to get it back, Tom could tell Harry everything, and Harry mustn't know it was like the Burrow all over again.

            I waited for a time when I knew nobody would be in the Boys dorm, Harry was at quidditch practice, while Ron was undoubtedly watching, I knew Neville had another detention with Snape, and both Seamus and Dean were playing wizards chess, in the common room, I saw my chance and took it, I hurried up to their room and tore the contents of Harry's trunk apart, eventually finding the diary hidden near the bottom inside a pair or old mustard coloured socks. Tucking it into my waistband I ran from the room, hiding around the corner as Neville discovered Harry's trunk. Moment's later as all the boys stood in the dorm discussing what had happed I made my escape, almost knocking Colin Creevey down the stairs as I made my exit.

            It was by candlelight that I sat in my bed later that night with the curtains drawn that I wrote once more in the diary, I told Tom I knew what he was up to, I told him i would never let him hurt Harry, I told him that I would burn the Diary so he could never hurt anyone again! But by this time Tom had already become too powerful, I had never made the connection between my lethargy, and the diary despite my other suspicions, and I discovered too late, as he ripped the diary out of my hands laughing all the while, that he had beaten me, he had used my own life force to materialise, I didn't stand a chance, where I had become weaker his strength had grown and I'm ashamed to say I couldn't even offer a struggle, I was too weak, and my final thought as I fell into a deep slumber was of Harry, and how I had failed him.

***^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^***

            My only memories after that were waking up in the hospital wing, with many faces surrounding mine gazing down at me, and it was later I learned that Harry had followed me into the chamber and saved my life placing his own at risk.

It was at that point I realised the costs, how I could hurt others, I closed myself off from other people and built a wall around myself, I made my decision, I had to be strong, not only for myself, but for Harry, he had saved my life, and I swore I would one day pay back that debt.

No-one ever knew of my promise, and if teachers noticed the improvement in my focus, and in my studies they never commented upon it, perhaps blaming my first year work upon the diary incident.

I spent my spare time in the Library, always learning, and it was there I rekindled my old friendship with Luna Lovegood, As children we had spent time at each others homes, at least we did before her mother died, after the death of her mother we had grown apart, I couldn't visit her, because mum decided that two young girls would be too much to cope with for a grieving widower. 

Luna had her own oddities, and never questioned my thirst for knowledge, more importantly she never avoided the whole diary incident as most people were wanton to do, instead her morbid curiosity made her the first person I could discuss my first year with, although I never told her why I studied so hard.

Most of my second and third year flew by pretty unremarkably, although I found my schoolwork was not quite enough to keep me distracted, to stop me getting close to Harry, so instead I began dating, and eventually started seeing Michael Corner, a Ravenclaw whom I had met in the library, because I had come to that conclusion that if I were to get close to Harry, things might get personal, and above all I couldn't allow that. I couldn't allow my emotions to get in my way, Voldemort could play on emotions, and if I was ever going to pay back my life debt to Harry I knew Voldemort could well be a deciding factor.

The summer before my fourth year was spent in Grimmauld place, and there with the help of Professor Lupin, I prospered, he never knew why I needed to know the spells he taught me, I just told him I needed to be ready, In this sort of war women and children who didn't know how to fight, how to defend themselves, they would be the first to die. He respected my reasons and unknown to my family; I began taking extra lessons in defence against the dark arts preparing myself for my future. 

It was this year for the first time that I began to allow my emotions to muddle my thinking, I broke up with Michael, he had never been anything more than a distraction, and threw myself once more into my studies with new vigour, Harry's defence classes coming in at an ideal time with professor Umbridge's refusal to teach us practical work.

And then there was that fateful night at the Ministry of Magic, the night Harry once again lost someone dear to him, I stubbornly insisted that they would go nowhere without me, I know Harry didn't want us along seeing us as more of a hindrance than a help, yet both Luna and myself proved our worth in more ways than one that night, lasting longer than both Ron and Hermione.

 I got off several good hexes before spraining my ankle. But even then I persisted, I wasn't about to be left behind, unfortunately the weaknesses of my body failed me, and I learned that it didn't matter how strong my soul was, or how much I knew, I had to be physically strong as well.

***^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^***

It was the next year at Hogwarts that I began my new training regime, using the Quidditch as my excuse I began training myself, and disciplining myself, with Harry back on the team as a seeker, I became a chaser, a position I had always preferred, and I found him joining me more and more as I trained myself so that I could be the best I could be. 

During this training I finally realised that I could not suppress my feelings for Harry and came close to telling him several times, looking back now I wish I had.

When Ron and Hermione became a couple he started seeking out my company more often, I told myself this was because he was lonely, but I was still happy just to spend my time with him, whether he knew of my feelings or not. 

When his only family, the muggles were murdered that year, he moved to the Burrow and was treated like another brother to us all, yet I found myself growing ever more attached to him and began to try and force some sort of wall between us knowing my feelings for him may hinder my promise.

I started my sixth year in fear, now I suppose you could call it a sense of foreboding now in hindsight, the year progressed in much the same way as my fifth year, with all my spare time spent on the pitch, or in the Library. 

Of course I had several run ins with Draco Malfoy, a boy more immersed in the dark arts than any of us, yet each time I threw my infamous bat bogey hex at him and he eventually learnt to leave me alone. 

Harry was now in his seventh year, having changed so much from the defenceless boy I had met on the train station all those years ago. 

A summer with us Weasleys had done him good, and whilst he did not look too happy, (he very rarely smiled after 5th year) he had put on some much needed weight, and had also become a companion in my studies, steeling himself I realised for a time he would come up against Voldemort once and for all. 

He also thought I studied so hard for self defence, and I never let him know that come his time, I would be stood at his side ready to fight for him, knowing that he would only try and persuade me not to, My mind was made up, I had a purpose, and that purpose was to help Harry Potter or die trying.

_Die trying, kinda funny now when you think of it,_ _truth was I hadn't died trying, least I don't think I di_d, it occurred to me that whilst I knew I had been murdered I couldn't remember how, or where, suppressed memories perhaps, I couldn't remember, heck if people had still been able to see me, I would even realise I had died!

Snapped out of my thoughts by a sound below, I looked around me realising I was now alone, Ron and Hermione had left the room sometime whilst I was in my reverie, and night had fallen, the first stars of the early evening twinkling on the horizon. 

I materialised through the wall, into the hallway, and was heading to the stairs when a noise from what had been my room distracted me.

Stepping through the wall I gasped to see Harry curled up on my bed holding my favourite sweater, with tears running down his cheeks, I stood and watched him, unable to offer any comfort, unable to alleviate the pain that I had caused….

I thought back to a muggle romance movie that Hermione had dragged me along to a cinema to see last year, the title of the film had been A life less ordinary, my only wish I thought ironically was that my life had been a little more ordinary.

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[A/N – I know this chappie has been a bit off on a tangent, but I had to fit the history in somewhere, I figured it might as well be here, get it over and done with!]

**Darlon** - thanks for all your support, you don't need to keep telling me your not flaming, I prefer to have constructive criticism! At least then I know where im going wrong!!!! 

SilverMoonLuna 


	7. Companionship

**Disclaimer:** anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!

 **Chapter 6 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder:** _I thought back to a muggle romance movie that Hermione had dragged me along to a cinema to see last year, the title of the film had been A life less ordinary, my only wish I thought ironically was that my life had been a little more ordinary._

*~*~* Companionship *~*~*

            Harry stayed there the rest of the night, and I stayed by his side unable to leave him in his anguish. The irony of the situation struck me, a boy in my room, on my bed, and not just any boy, the boy I loved. The boy who loved me - and here we were alone in my room together. I had pictured this scene over and over again in my head, but in my head Harry didn't cry himself to sleep, and more importantly I was alive and he knew I was there with him.

            Whilst Harry slept I sat on my bed next to him, and looked around my room, all around me reminders of my short lived life. My posters of the weird sisters, my program from the quidditch world cup which I had fastened to my notice board, a small stuffed owl on a shelf by my bed.

 Hootie, I had him as a birthday present from Bill when I was three, and in the years leading up to Hogwarts it rarely left my side. That was one of the worst things about all this; I couldn't even get a bit of comfort from hugging a stuffed toy, because I knew, were I to touch it my hand would pass through it,

            _Or would it??_ I thought back to that day in the hospital wing, the day I crashed into the door, and Harry and Charlie both heard the clutter. Perhaps it was worth a try, I reached for Hootie confident that I would be able to touch him, but my hand passed straight through him. 

            How had I ran into the door, Jane had said it was because my mind still thought of it in live terms, my subconscious still thought of it as material so it was.

            So this was the question, how could I get my subconscious to think I was still alive. I figured the only way I would be able to do it would be to concentrate, very hard I mean didn't ghost's communicate through Ouija Boards all the time by moving the pointer. 

            So here it was the moment of truth, I had convinced myself that Hootie wouldn't drop, that my hand wouldn't pass through him, focusing all my thoughts on touching Hootie, on picking him up.

            I reached out my hand and instead of passing thorough the owl I felt the rough worn material of Hootie's body. The next step was to try and pick him up; I closed my hand around his wing and tried lifting it into the air, success! I had done it; I'd picked him up,

"Learning quick then?"

the voice from the doorway started me, and I spun around looking for its source, leaning against the door post was a familiar looking boy, a face I hadn't seen for four years, a very handsome face…

"Cedric?" I asked

"you got it" he replied grinning, 

"but, wha.."

            My question was interrupted by a sound behind me, when the voice had startled me I lost my concentration, the toy had fallen through my hands and I now realised it had landed right on top of Harry's face, waking him almost instantly, He bounded to his feet looking around him frantically, 

"Ginny?" He asked "Ginny are you  here?"

"yes" I replied

he still looked around the room and even under my bed,

"Harry i.."

"He can't hear you" interrupted Cedric, "believe me, I've tried, we can do all sorts, but talking with them is not one of them"

I watched Harry sadly, "Ginny are you here? Answer me goddamit!" he yelled, as Ron burst through the door closely followed by Hermione, Fred and George

"Harry, what on earth are you doing?" Scolded Hermione, "That noise is enough to wake the ……." She trailed off

"Dead?!" Harry finished in a funny tone, "That's the whole point Hermione, Ginny are you here" he yelled again spinning around

Cedric had stayed quiet throughout their exchange, but now he stood at my side, "they won't hear you Ginny, no matter what you try, they never hear you"

            I ignored him, I had realised if I could pick something up I could let them know I was here, 

Ron meanwhile was now talking "Harry, she's  ... she can't be here"

"Then explain this" replied Harry holding up Hootie, 

"it's a toy" said Hermione scathingly

"I know it's a toy" he said, "But that wouldn't mean it could just jump off the shelf and hit me in the head"

I rushed to my desk looking for something else to throw at his head, spotting a lipstick I reached out for it hurriedly, but my hand passed through it, _come on Ginny concentrate!_ I told myself... 

Ron meanwhile had gasped, "it did what?"

"Exactly" finished Harry

"Ginny?" Hermione now called uncertainly, 

focusing all my concentration I once again reached for the lipstick, but my hand passed through it…… it was no good, there were too many distractions, too many thoughts running through my head, I turned to Cedric, 

"Can you pick it up?" I asked now in tears, he walked to my side momentarily touching my shoulder, 

"I'll try" he replied and reached for the lipstick, 

His hand also passed through it, I once again became aware of the conversation around me, 

"It must have been the ghoul from the attic" Hermione was now concluding, "or perhaps you performed wandless magic in your sleep Harry, like children do"

Harry didn't look convinced, "Quickly" I urged Cedric,

"I'm trying" came his reply

"Why don't you come downstairs for a while Harry?" asked Ron, 

"No" I yelled, stepping in front of Harry, "don't go, look behind you"

Nothing could have prepared me for what happened next, he nodded grimly to Ron and Hermione and walked right through me, 

In that instant I knew Harry, I could feel him all about me, but as quickly as it came it went away. Harry stopped momentarily and shuddered, then left the room, "No" I yelled after him, turning to see Cedric holding up the lipstick with a smile on his face.

            He took one look at me and the smile faded as my lipstick fell to the floor…

"Ginny" he said, 

Tears drowning my vision, I stared at the faded pattern in my blue carpet, I had failed.  
  


He reached out a hand placing it on my shoulder, "there will be other chances" he said, "but for now, come away from here, it's only upsetting you, come with me"  
  


Ordinarily I would have followed them down to the kitchen; I would have persisted until I had picked something up, until I could show them that I was there, that I wasn't gone. But that was before Cedric, I realised, for now I didn't want to fight or even watch them, there was finally someone like me who I could talk to, I placed my hand in Cedric's own and we both materialised on a rocky beach. 

I looked around me, "where are we?" I asked looking around me, "Wales" he replied, "I used to come here on holiday, back when I was still alive" he continued, "I used to come here when everything was getting on top of me, it was always a good place to think"

I nodded dumbly, "well it's certainly pretty" I replied half heartedly and sat down on the floor, still caught up in my thoughts from the Burrow.

"It get's better" he said flopping himself down beside me, " I know what it's like at first, I remember, when I died I thought I could never … " he broke off

"Never?" I asked

He gazed into the sea as its waves crashed upon the straw, "I thought I would never be able to cope, alone in the world, it was like a personal hell for me, no-one to hear, when you can see and hear everyone else"

I nodded recognising his words as my own feeling of desolation. "How did you know where to find me?" I asked mirroring his gaze into the ocean, and watching the moonlight play on the ripples, 

"It looks like a path doesn't it" he said turning to look at me, I nodded confused at the change in subject, "how did you know?" I asked again.

He stood up, "I was at my parent's, and my father asked my mother if they would be going to your funeral"

Well that would probably be right I thought, remembering that Cedric had played with Fred and George when we were all much younger, being the only wizards in Ottery along with the Lovegood's over the years the three families had spent a lot of time together on various occasions.

"I just couldn't see you as the sort to kill yourself" he continued, "You were always such a happy person when I knew you, and when I've seen you over the last four years"

"You haunt Hogwarts?" I asked, wondering why I hadn't seen him on my many trips around the school, and why Jane hadn't mentioned him

He shook his head, "I go anywhere, that's the beauty of this Gin, the world is at your feet, when I first died I spent a lot of time at Hogwarts, and then I spent a lot of time away touring the world, looking for more people like us."

"Did you find any?"

He nodded, "a few, but not many, and they're not all like us, some are in denial, others still think they're alive" I remembered what Jane had said and nodded, 

"When I died" he continued, "I spent all my time following around my family, trying to let them know I was still here, that's how I knew where to look for you, and sure enough I found you" he grinned at me,

"I'm glad you did" I replied returning his smile, " I was starting to go mad, no one I knew to talk to, no one to listen to me or give me any help, my only friend is Jane, and she's been a ghost so long that she's forgotten what it's like to be human"

"Jane?" he questioned

"The Gray Lady" I replied, 

"Oh right" he said nodding in agreement.

"so what happened?" he asked, "How did you die?"

" I was hoping you could tell me" I replied

[**A/N** – thanks for reading, sorry its short, more soon …. **Darlon** – your fab, I look forward to reading your review!]

_Luna _


	8. Fighting the Demons

**Disclaimer:** anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!

 **Chapter 7 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder:** _"so what happened?" he asked, "How did you die?"_

_" I__ was hoping you could tell me" I replied_

*~*~* Fighting the Demons *~*~*

            "You don't remember!?" he asked, It was more of a statement than a question, I bowed my head and pulled my kneed up in front of me hugging them for comfort.

            "At first I didn't"

"Realise you were dead?" he finished for me, nodding to himself.

"Is that normal?" I asked recognizing the familiarity in his tone.

He turned to look at me, "sure it is" he said with a grim smile, "When we're alive we repress memories that we find traumatic, what makes us any different now we're dead?

            His words made me think of Harry, and more precisely the summer just before my sixth year. The day the Dementors openly declared their allegiance to Voldemort.

            They had attacked Diagon Alley, and not just any day either, they day we were there buying our supplies for the upcoming school year. 

            They had appeared out of nowhere, and it was only the happiness draining from the air around us that alerted people to them, had that not happened, a lot less people would be around today to tell the tale.

            I had just been leaving Flourish and Blotts with Hermione, she had dragged me there so that she could buy a biography she had read about in the Daily Prophet; Glover Hipworth: the Pepper of Life.  
            

She had recently decided that she wanted to spend her life helping the wizarding world, not by healing them, but by researching cures for the worst spells and ailments, the incurables.

            Ron, being who he was, supported his girlfriend's decision wholeheartedly, by sending his sister to keep her company, whilst he went to Quality Quidditch Supplies with Harry; I was silently cursing him, as Hermione rambled on about various books she had seen in Flourish and Blotts, and neither of us were altogether aware at the panic that had ensued up by the ice cream parlour.

            It wasn't until someone yelled "dementors" causing a ripple to run through the crowd that we realised what was going on. Jumping into action I pulled Hermione into the doorway of Ollivander's and peered around the street looking for Ron and Harry. 

            As the crowds thinned I spotted Harry in the thick of the action, firing his Patronus into a sea of black cloaks ahead of him. My eyes following his stag I quickly assessed that there were a hundred or more Dementors.

            Ron materialised at our side, "there's anti apparition fields up" he yelled over the noise of the crowd, "we have to fight our way out.

            Hermione nodded and ran to Harry's side, her wand already in hand. I followed in quick succession, but as I drew nearer I felt a stab of cold.

            I was thrown into memories of that final fight with Tom, him materialising at my side, telling me I was weak, and that because of me people were going to die, I sank to my knees overcome with fear, and was only pulled out of it by a hand on my shoulder. 

Looking up into understanding eyes I snapped out of it, "fight it Ginny!" whispered Harry.

            I nodded grimly and rose to my feet, pulling my wand from my waistband; I frantically searched for a happy memory, my first day at Hogwarts, that was it, I pointed my wand into the legion of shadows that were bearing down upon us, "expecto patronum" I yelled, but to my horror only a thin wisp of silver smoke came out of my wand.

            I panicked, I had failed, I couldn't do it, so much for my vow to save Harry, I couldn't do a simple patronus charm. I began sinking into despair, still searching for a happy memory, but they all eluded me. 

            Harry still stood at my side seemed to sense my difficulty, grabbing my shoulders he turned to me "Christmas Ginny, what about Christmas?!."

            _Christmas?__ What about Christmas, nothing had happ..._ realization dawned on me, Christmas! And if he thought Christmas was a ha… "Expecto Patronum" I yelled confidently and a shining light burst from my wand right into the heart of the Dementors.

            Harry stopped and grinned at me as a silvery panther joined Harry's stag, Hermione's Otter and Ron's fox. 

Together the four creatures began to drive off the dementors, joined by more and more creatures as the wizards and witches around us realised what we were trying to do.

            It was in the aftermath, when the Dementors had finally been driven off that we sat on a wall, watching the healers round up the casualties, including a very grumpy Ron who had cut his head in a fall, and an anxious Hermione, who fussed over him.

            Harry turned to me, "Christmas?" he asked, I grinned at him and felt my cheeks burning. 

He grinned back at me, and I ignored the urge to push his hair out of his eyes, thinking instead of their effects upon me.

"When they're near I…" I broke off,  

"The chamber?" he asked.

"How did you.."

"they make you think of your worst memory" he interrupted, not seeming to want to talk about it. 

"oh" I replied and sat there studying the cobbles around my feet.

***^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^***

"Penny?" said Cedric, interrupting... 

"What?" I asked confused, 

"For your thoughts" he finished… 

"We could do with a dementor right now" I told him,

He shuddered, "what you want one of those things for?"

"Remembering" _after all, there was no worse thing than your own murder, was there?_

            I turned to Cedric, "I need to find out how I died, can you help me?"

He looked a little confused, "I can try, where did you die?"

            The golden question, where did I die? The very first question and it hand me stumped, where did I die? How did I die? Why did they think it was suicide?

"Come on" I said rising to my feet. 

"Where are we going?" he asked also standing.

"Hogwarts" I replied in a determined tone. I didn't kill myself, I had no reason - I needed answers, and Hogwarts was the place I would find them.

[A/N – sorry the chapter is so short, that just seemed like the right place to end it, I'll get on the next one right away though!]  
[**Darlon** – thanks for the review, you made my day, most of what you read is all first draft, although I do plan it in my head  ]  
[before I put it on paper – except in this case cause I wrote half and then closed the file without saving by accident! :'(         ]  
  


_Silvermoonluna___


	9. A Question of Murder

**Disclaimer:** anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!

 **Chapter 8– Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder: **_I didn't kill myself, I had no reason - I needed answers, and Hogwarts was the place I would find them._

*~*~*A Question of Murder *~*~*

            I closed my eyes, and felt the familiar rush of air as I transported myself to the Great Hall….. usually I would flick straight to the Gryffindor common room, call it habit if you would, but with Cedric I didn't want to do that, even I we were both dead I wasn't about to be responsible for showing a member of Hufflepuff the location of our house.

            The silver moonbeams picked out the desks in the darkened hall, and I was thankful that the sky had been bewitched, as the moons glow offered the only light.

            I looked around the hall, it was funny how different it looked in the night time, during the day it was always busy, whether it was during meal times or otherwise.

  
            In the moonlight it had taken on an eerie silence and offered none of its usual cheery atmosphere. 

"Let's get out of here" said Cedric, and I could see that he was also finding the atmosphere in the hall unsettling; I nodded and headed for the doors, once again using habit, because I still had difficulty remembering that I now had the ability to walk through walls.

            The corridors were also devoid of any life, but here the cracking of the wall torches added light and warmth, well metaphorically speaking of course, I couldn't feel little things like hot and cold anymore.

            "Where now?" asked Cedric

            "We should find Jane" I replied, "She might know something" 

            I turned and began heading to the library, last time I had wanted her she had been there, it was a small possibility I knew, but I didn't have any sort of idea where else to look. 

            I marched down the corridors, taking the necessary turnings and never coming into contact with anyone, alive or dead. 

"must all be sleeping" I muttered to Cedric, who was following closely behind.

            He said nothing but continued to follow me in silence, until we finally reached the large library doors. Unsurprisingly they were closed, Madam Pince having gone to bed herself. Remembering my early hesitations I braced myself and walked through the door. 

            The Library was in complete darkness, 

"Jane?" I called, "Jane are you here?" 

            There was no response, 

"She's not here Gin?"

"How would you know" I snapped at him, 

"Well she might be dead, but she still needs light to read" he replied teasingly, 

            I realised he was right, She wouldn't be here, so where else could she be? 

"Do you know where the Ravenclaw common room is?" I asked Cedric, 

he shook his head "Nope"

"me neither" I replied, my hopes dashed. 

"Would she be in McGonagall's class?" asked Cedric, "I've seen her there occasionally"

"well we've nowhere else to try, why not?" I concluded and turned towards the staircase to make my way down to the second floor where the transfiguration classrooms were, Cedric dutifully following behind me.

            As we walked through another empty corridor on the first floor, I heard the first voices of the night, and turning the corner I recognised the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office. 

            The voices were muffled, coming from the other side of the stone giant, so that I could barely make them out. 

The guardian grated open, and panicking I jumped backwards knocking over Cedric in my haste to avoid being seen.

            For a moment I had forgotten I was invisible, and Cedric now sat on the floor where I had knocked him chuckled, 

"Nice one, Weasley! Send me…"

"Shhhh!" I interrupted trying to hear the voices from beyond the doorway, 

"As I said Albus, Ginny Weasley would not have killed herself" floated McGonagall's voice, 

"And as much as it pains me, I am inclined to agree" finished Professor Snape.

            They were talking about me? Now maybe I would start finding some of these answers, it occurred to me that I should not be eavesdropping on the conversations of Professors, but I pushed the nagging thought into the back of my mind, I'm dead now, what harm could it do?

            "Whilst I am in agreement" concluded Dumbledore, " It still does not explain how she was found alone at the foot of the astronomy tower, with a broken neck"

            Hang on a minute, broken neck? What did they think I did? Jumped? I couldn't have jumped, someone must have pushed me.

            A chill rushed over me, as I remembered my earlier experiment, the way I had tipped myself over the edge of the sill, the way I had plummeted to the floor, and they way I had never come into contact with the ground, finding myself instead in the common room. Had I repeated my death? Was the falling not an idea, but a subconscious urge to repeat my unlikely fate?

            Cedric had risen, and now stood behind me... 

"Broken Neck?" he asked... "That's a very muggle sort of way to die"

            I nodded slowly still finding it all too much to take in, not only was it a very muggle sort of way to die, it was also the perfect disguise as a suicide, making me look like I jumped off a tower, broke my neck on impact… 

I turned to Cedric, "I didn't kill myself" I insisted adamantly. 

He rested his hand on my shoulder, "I believe you Gin, but who are you trying to convince? Me? Or yourself?"

I pushed his hand away, "You think I did it don't you?" I yelled, 

He looked taken aback, "Well Gin,"

"Get away from me!"

 I yelled on the brink of tears,

 "I don't need people like you around me, I didn't kill myself and if you don't believe me you don't know who I am"

he took a step back "Gin?" he said warily, 

"Just leave me alone" I spun around, my voice having lost its volume but none of its venom.

"But Gin" he continued

"Get away!" I yelled

The tears now fresh in my eyes, I turned ready for the pleas, the arguments, but all I saw was an empty corridor steeped in shadows, he had obviously heeded my words and left.

Turning back to the entrance to Dumbledore's office I realised the older, _or was it  alive?_ wizards had now gone, leaving me alone in the corridor.

I sank to my feet and buried my head in my arms, and wept, for the life I had never had the chance to truly live, for the love I had found when it was too late, and for my death, my curse, an eternity of loneliness.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

I don't know how much later it was that I left that spot, but I found myself sinking back into my old habit, wandering the halls of Hogwarts, lost in my own thoughts. 

At some point during the night I had began to consider Cedric's words, and had slowly realised that they really did make a lot of sense.

I was certain that I hadn't killed myself, what would have given me reason to do something like that, but the entire time I found a nagging voice in the back of my head undermining my thoughts, but you don't remember….

That was the problem, I didn't remember, my death or any of the events leading up to it, it suddenly occurred to me that I could have killed myself, but I still couldn't see a motive or a reason. 

I broke out of my thoughts finding myself stood on the precipice of the window in the astronomy tower. Once again I had ended up here, drawn subconsciously once more to the scene of the crime, to the place of my death.

I stared at the ground and had a nagging question inside that I couldn't quite grasp, I pushed it aside, instead thinking of what could have brought me to this, what would have pushed me to the point that I felt death could be my only exit.

I was plunged into a flashback

_"Ginny no" shouted Harry stepping back in the mud, his arm held in front of him as if protecting him from something, a flash of light hit him, and he fell backwards sliding down the muddy bank, towards the great lake, his expression one of fear and something else that I didn't recognise, the rain beat on his almost still form as he led there, "Gin" he murmured, his head tossing about as he clasped his hands to his stomach in pain.. _

I was thrown out of the memory as quickly as I had slipped in, and it was in a flash of memory that I realised Harry had been led in the Hospital ward the day my parents identified my body.

"No" I muttered to myself, "I couldn't have…. " 

  
But the cold truth of the matter, the evidence was all too clear, I had attacked Harry.

_I Ginny Weasley attacked Harry Potter, the boy who loved me -- heck, I deserved to die._

[A/N – thought I'd leave it on a cliff-hanger!! Darlon, thanks for the advice, however I will not be rewriting the early chapters, the whole point of the early chapter is that its tense, hurried, she doesn't have time to stop and think…. Adding detail would remove from the sense of urgency I was trying to convey. – more soon]

_Luna_


	10. Sinking

**Disclaimer:** anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!

 **Chapter 9 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder: **_I Ginny Weasley attacked Harry Potter, the boy who loved me -- heck, I deserved to die._

*~*~* Sinking *~*~*

            "Mum, I can't find my black shoes" whined Ron rushing into the kitchen, 

            It had been three days since I remembered attacking Harry, three days spent alone, I hadn't heard from Cedric since our argument, and I was certainly in no mood to go looking for him. Besides anything else I wouldn't even know where to start.  
            The time had passed in much of a blur; I was too caught up in my own thoughts to notice anything going on around me, and had found my only solace sat in mum's kitchen, the focal point of burrow life.

            Even here I found I felt oddly detached, my world slowly slipping into an old memory, as I found myself more and more distanced from my family, from the living.

            "Ron, leave your mother alone" hissed Hermione, "can't you see she's having a bad enough time of it as it is"

            I looked up at Hermione; her bushy hair had been dragged back into a severe bun, _very mcgonagallesque_, and my brother stood by her side, a muggle suit beneath his pitch black robes.

            Mum sat in her favourite rocking chair by the fire, completely unaware of the commotion around her, and she rocked herself and gazed into the flames. 

            "Molly, we need to leave, or we'll be late" said dad placing an arm on her shoulder for comfort. 

            "my baby's dead" she said in a low voice, "it's her goddam funeral, they can wait"

But even as she said it she had risen from the seat, and gave the assembled Weasleys and appraising look,  
  


"Fred tuck in your shirt, Bill, take out that dratted earring, show a little respect for your sister" she snapped,

            Bill looked ready to do a murder, and he spun around making no effort to remove his earring, as he clumped out of the room, near the door dad reached out and grabbed his arm, 

            "She's under a lot of pressure today son" he whispered, 

Bill looked at him, 

            "we all are, Ginny may have been mum's little girl, but she was also my little sister, don't you think it kills me knowing that she was hurting and that I did nothing to help, I was too busy spending all my time with Fleur to even notice her, If I.."

He broke off, 

            "If I had listened, if I had been there for her, none of this…. We could have stopped this happening, she was my little sister, she trusted me, and I couldn't save her" he said his voice breaking, 

            Dad reached out as if to embrace Bill, but Bill pushed past him, leaving the room, and those assembled there in silence.  
  


*****

            I had always been close to Bill, he was always the one who looked after me, he hadn't laughed at me when I was 8 years old and certain there were Lethifolds _well at that age leafycolds_ under my bed. 

            I had always thought him ever so brave, when he would crawl under my bed, popping out the other side confirming there were no monsters there to get me.

            Charlie and the twins had always laughed at me, and a twelve year old George even put a black sheet under my bed once just to scare him.

 He had yelled at that one, making me think the 'leafycolds' had come once and for all to get me. 

            That night I had screamed the house down, I think I even scared the ghoul in the attic, I laughed to myself as I remembered the telling off Mam had given the twins the next day. 

            So this was us, the Weasleys, always poor, but always happy, always united.   
  
Until now…. My death was tearing the family apart.

***^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^***

"What's wrong with Bill?" 

A voice interrupted my reverie, and I looked up to see Harry stood on the staircase, also sporting the customary shade of black.

"Not now Harry" mouthed Hermione, 

He nodded in understanding and ran his hand across his head in an attempt to flatten his unruly hair. Looking closer I could see that he looked in real need of sleep, his piercing green eyes appeared glazed and lifeless and his skin looked sallow.

            He stayed in the doorway uncertain of what to do, and focused on the old flagstones that made up the floor of the kitchen.

            A moment later Bill reappeared, and said the ominous words I had been dreading.  
  


            "It's time"

            Mam went off into a fresh fit of sobs, and dad led her towards the fireplace, pulling a fresh pile of floo powder out of the pot he yelled "Three Broomsticks, Hogsmeade" before ushering her into the flames.

            The others quickly followed suit, until it was only Harry and Hermione left. 

"I'm not sure if I can do this" he confided in her, 

"You have to, for Ron, for his family, and more importantly for Ginny" she replied, 

He looked sharply up at her, "you knew?"

"I guessed" she admitted, 

"And then Ron confirmed my suspicions last week" she gave a wry smile,

 "You tiptoed around each other long enough didn't you"

            Harry nodded; "too long" he said a note of disparity touching his voice.

"We better go" 

Hermione finished gently touching his arm. He looked at her briefly smiling, but I could see that it did not reach his eyes, which remained dark pools. 

If eyes really were the window to the soul, then Harry was indeed suffering.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

I milled around after I left, unsure if I wanted to follow them, unsure if I wanted to go to my own funeral, but inevitably I was drawn there, with the same morbid curiosity that drew me to the spot of my death.

I manifested outside St Christopher's in Hogsmeade.

I took a moment to stare up at the sandy coloured building in front of me, all old brickwork and alcoves. The huge stained glass window of St Christopher took up the majority of the facade of the building, beckoning in the traveller.

For a moment I wondered if I would be able to enter the church …. They thought I had committed suicide, and suicides were buried in unconsecrated ground. 

What if some sort of mystical barrier prevented me from entering the church, what if I was damned? Like the vampires in muggle movies.

I stood at the threshold wanting to enter, but unwilling to try, wanting to be inside the building, the curiosity welling up, but unable to take a step forward, one step that could confirm if I was indeed damned for all eternity.

"You can go in"

I turned to the direction of the voice, "Cedric"

He repeated again, "It's alright, we can visit churches, and nothing is going to keep you out"

I nodded mutely and took the step forward, through the huge wooden doors, releasing the breath I didn't realise I had been holding as I passed through without obstacle or hindrance.

Moment's later Cedric appeared at my side. "Come on" he whispered ushering me in.

I moved forward not sure if wanted to be here, but still being drawn to the pulpit to hear the words of the person stood there.

The service was well underway, and with a jolt I realised that Harry was now making his way to the front of the church.

He stood at the lectern, surveying the small congregation.

"A lot of you may wonder why it is me standing here today, why not one of Ginny's brothers, her parents? 

He paused

"For those of you who think that, I could argue that since the age of 11 the Weasley family have been nothing but family to me, but that would not be the real reason.

I am stood in front of you today because it was agreed that I was one person who really did know Ginny Weasley, her loves, her triumphs, and even her faults."

_Faults,_ I thought bitterly, _don't forget to mention that I tried to kill you Harry, don't forget that I attacked you._

"Many people did not know the real Ginny Weasley, the girl who appointed herself my protector, the caring courageous beam of light that brightened up the lives of people around her."

I gasped, he knew? I'd never realised…. so even he knew I had failed him. I had thought this day could get no worse, but it had just sunk to a whole new level…

"When Sirius died, I thought that my life would never be complete again, but Ginny helped me re-forge my life, she made me want to be a better person, I wanted to make the world a better place, so that nothing could ever harm her, and I failed, I failed her."  

Tears welled up in his eyes, and I realised that the whole new level had sunk even more, he took as breath to calm himself, then looked up at the crowd once again.

"What is there in this world that takes away the good, which takes away the beauty and life, the laughter and the very essence of light, Ginny was all of these things in my life, and so much more.  
            Ginny strived to make herself better, and she overcame any obstacle that hindered her with flying colours…"

_Not every obstacle…._

"Ginny never knew it, but I loved her" he went on… 

"And our time together was wasted, because we both focused on the wrong things; because we were too busy trying to defeat the bad to find a little happiness. 

We shared one kiss, under the mistletoe, one Christmas, but both of us pushed our feelings aside, we both forced ourselves to be alone, because we were scared of the pain of coming into contact with other people.

And now it's too late, now Ginny's gone, and I am truly alone" 

"I'm Sorry" 

He whispered to my family before leaving the pulpit and running out of the church, amidst the whispers now passing through the crowd.

*

What else could I do, I followed him, I had to let him know that he wouldn't be alone, that I was here, and I would stand by him until he needed me no longer.

I brushed past Cedric and followed him out into the grounds of the church.

*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*

[A/N more soon – Luna]


	11. Contact?

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!

**Chapter 10 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder:** _What else could I do, I followed him, I had to let him know that he wouldn't be alone, that I was   here, and I would stand by him until he needed me no longer._

_      I brushed past Cedric and followed him out into the grounds of the church._

Contact?

            Harry ran on, dodging between the muddle of gravestones running without any real aim trying it seemed just to escape, eventually he stopped for a moment to catch his breath leaning on an old crumbled stone to gather his thoughts.

            I moved silently to his side and gasped when I realised the stone on which he had chosen to lean momentarily, slightly obscured by ivy but readable none the less ..

_Here Lies Lily Potter_

_Beloved wife and mother_

_She will leave her imprint on this world_

_Through the eyes of another_

            Now that was a strange thing to write upon a gravestone, Harry meanwhile had collapsed to the ground never seeing the stone or what was written on it. He buried his head in his hands, and I could see the tears streaming down his face, tears which I realised were meant for me…. And every drop of water that poured down his cheeks stabbed an even greater pain into my heart.

            _I'll be there for you Harry,_ I whispered, I _don't know how, or if you will ever realise that I am here, and I may have to leave you from time to time, but I will always return…_ It was no good, he couldn't hear me but I carried on anyway, whispering my final sentence that seemed to float away with the breeze, _and I will never let you be alone…_

            His head shot up and through his tears one word formed on his lips "Ginny" he seemed to be staring right at me, "Harry" I whispered back uncertainly, this couldn't be happening, had he heard me, or felt me or something, I forgot all my feelings and emotions and instead pushed against the invisible barrier that separated us and said one thing "The stone Harry, look at the stone"

            With that I was thrown into another of my flashbacks almost as a reminder that I should not reach him, a reminder of what I tried to do to him, a reminder that I was no good, that I deserved to die

            _"Ginny no" shouted Harry stepping back in the mud, his arm held in front of him as if protecting him from something, a flash of light hit him, and he fell backwards sliding down the muddy bank, towards the great lake, his expression one of fear and something else that I didn't recognise, the rain beat on his almost still form as he led there, "Gin" he murmured, his head tossing about as he clasped his hands to his stomach in pain "Don't do it" I could hear laughing from somewhere and realised that it must be me, for there were no others around.. _

_"Looks like this is it Harry, your finally going to get what you deserve" said a voice that I recognised as my own, I raised my wand and began an incantation, but as the words formed on my lips a spell rang out in the air "immobiliarus" it hit me from behind and pushed me down that muddy bank crashing into Harry as I fell.. _

_Everything spiralled into darkness_

****

"Harry" I sat up in shock remembering what had happened, somehow I had broken through, He had seen me, or at least he had heard me, but instead of  finding myself in the graveyard surrounded by old stones and Harry's loving face I had once again returned to my old room,

         Damn you, pink wallpaper why did I keep ending up here... a voice spoke from the shadows

"So you're awake?" 

         I spun around "Harry?" I asked, indeed almost begged..

"Sorry love, it's me" said the voice and the person stepped into the beam of moonlight shining through the window..

"Cedric?"

"None other" he replied with a grin,

"But how…" I began

"It's what happens to us, if ever we pass out, or anything else we automatically return to the place we were most comfortable during our lives, the place we felt safest. I bet you woke up here when you died didn't you?"

I nodded in understanding… "That explains it, I had always wondered"

         The days earlier events came rushing back to me "Cedric, Harry... he saw me… or he heard me at least, how did I do it, can I do it again?" I stood up…

         "He saw you?" asked Cedric "I didn't know that was possible" he said thoughtfully,

         I sat back down on the edge of my bed disappointed. The stood up again an idea forming…

"We have to find Harry, if he's seen me once he will see me again I'm certain of it, I grabbed Cedric and danced around in a circle, he merely smiled at me somewhat taken aback by my new happiness ..

"Where shall we start" he asked….   I looked out of the window at the moon rising higher into the sky …

"It's the middle of the night, how about his bedroom" I replied a smile on my face...

I ran through the wall into the room that Ron and Harry shared but was dismayed to find them both out of bed… this was going to be harder than I thought I realised…

"Hermione" I yelled … that had to be it … I rushed downstairs to the couch … up til recently Hermione had always shared my room when she stopped over, but all that had changed with my death and she now stayed in our living room on the itchy old settee… I'd rather her than me any day!

         I rushed through the door to the living room expecting to see them talking in the firelight as they had done so many times at Hogwarts, but once again the room was empty, and the small puff of smoke and the cool black coals showed that the fire had only recently gone out.

         I sat down taking in the room around me, looking for some sort if indication of where they had gone, where they were, but all I could see was that Hermione's cloak had vanished from the stand in the corner…. Not just any cloak… her thick one, the winter one...

         I stood up and a grin spread slowly across my face as I turned to Cedric...

"I know where they are"

                                                               

_Silvermoonluna__ …. I know its short but that seemed like the right place to end it … I will be cracking on with the new chappie straight away_


	12. Moonlight Quandry

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!

**Chapter 11 – Beyond the Grave**

         **Reminder:** _I stood up and a grin spread slowly across my face as I turned to Cedric... _

_"I know where they are"_

Moonlight Quandry

            The moonlight poured over the stone monuments to lives lived and lost, covering everything with an eerie blue light, but even in the dim light the three figures crouched before a tattered old grave were visible,

            I beckoned to Cedric and we made our way over to them, they're voices ringing crisply through the cool night air, _at least I guessed it was cool, judging by the breath visible on the air it had to be cold…._

"But how did you find it Harry? What made you find your mother's grave after all this time?" questioned Hermione,

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you" he said quietly crouching down and running his fingers over the rough stone

"Why not try us?" persisted Hermione

            He turned his head to face her, and I saw the tears tangled in his eyes, the bright green that I loved so much appearing almost black in the moonlight and full of pain.

            "Ginny told me" he whispered looking down again,

"You've seen Ginny?" interrupted Ron as Hermione gasped

"But how is that possible Harry? You can't see someone whose dead, you know that better that anyone"

            "I did once" he replied

"A long time ago now, but I never told either of you, It was one memory that I kept to myself, that I don't think anyone ever knew, I didn't even tell Dumbledore"

"But you saw Ginny?" Ron broke in impatiently,

            Hermione shot him a look behind Harry's back, I even smiled to see it, _my brother and Hermione, ever the perfect tactful couple. _

            "I saw Ginny" Harry replied flatly 

"She told me, she said to look at the stone, and then she vanished, like she had never been here"

"But she was here?" insisted Ron looking around as if expecting to see me. "Was she ok Harry, was she real?"

Harry nodded

            "It was her voice I heard first, I was sat just here" he coloured slightly, "She,  She said she would never let me be alone…" 

He broke off and a tear made its way silently down his cheek….

"I looked up and saw her, stood there, looking more beautiful than ever, and all she said to me was the stone, look at the stone, and then her face dropped like something terrible had happened and she vanished, as if she had never been there at all, perhaps it wasn't even here, perhaps it was just the breeze and I imagined it…. "

He stopped

            "But if it was your imagination" said Hermione, "Then you wouldn't have known about the stone, it had to be her Harry, I'm certain of it"

            Harry stood up and shuffled his foot in the long grass covering his mothers resting place,

"It was her" he said now more confidently, "She wanted to help, and she helped"

            I smiled, He had seen me, and he thought I was beautiful, _no one had ever said I was beautiful before_,

"Do you think she was happy?" said Ron his voice trembling slightly,

Harry shrugged, "I don't know Ron, I just don't know"

Ron nodded his face set in a frown, "If you saw her once?" He asked "do you think you could see her again, do you think it's possible?"

Hermione interrupted,

"Ron, when I was eleven, I found out I was witch, wizards to me were the things for fairy tales, that could be the same for wizards, that spirits who have moved on, they are little but myth and fairytale, yet in one moment one thing can happen to change that theory forever, that can change your whole life and your whole world. One thing I've learnt since Hogwarts is this…Anything is possible."

He nodded satisfied,

Cedric's voice now sounded over my shoulder, "Well he did see you, we just need to know how, and why"

I nodded, and stepping to Harry's side I placed my hand lightly on his shoulder careful not to let it slip through his skin

"Harry?" I said a lump forming in my throat, _this was it, he would see me, I could tell him that I loved him, I could tell him that everything was going to be alright, I could tell him I was sorry_

"So what you think it means?" he asked,

"The epitaph?" questioned Hermione

Harry nodded,

            I removed my hand and turned to Cedric tears forming in my eyes, "it didn't work" I said flatly

He extended his arm to me, "C'mon, you broke through once, It could happen again" he said in comforting tones, "Hermione is right about one thing, anything is possible…. even for us"

I allowed him to escort me away and leave them to they're puzzling.

            But inside my heart was breaking, was it possible that one moment with him, one moment where he knew of my presence, one moment where he saw me, was just further torment?

One moment together in heaven, and then back into my life, my death, my permanent hell.

I began to wish we had never shared that brief moment of contact.

_Silvermoonluna__ – more soon, please read and review.___


	13. Dreams and Secrets

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!

**Chapter 11 – Beyond the Grave**

            **Reminder:** _One moment together in heaven, and then back into my life, my death, my permanent hell. _

_I began to wish we had never shared that brief moment of contact._

Dreams and Secrets

            For a long time after than night in the graveyard I sank into myself, becoming the Ginny of old, the girl who never spoke, the girl who was so caught up in a fantasy that she could barely tell it from reality, a girl full of innocence but even still a sense of belonging.

            That girl had been lost when the diary came into my life, because it was after Tom Riddle that became isolated and I began to fight my lot in the world, and strive for a better future.

            But more and more I found myself sinking into despair, and from the despair dreams began to flow, until I found myself losing all interest in a reality that would allow us to fall in love, but never let us be together.

            Whilst I lived the life I could never have through my dreams, I lost all real sense of time, knowing only that life was going on, and leaving me behind. Soon I would be just another memory, another statistic, just another reason why the world was a cruel place full of pain.

            Day after day I sat in my reverie, making no plans, no caring about my future or indeed the lack of one, my dreams became all that mattered to me, because they alone could bring me happiness, and make me contented.

            They became a strand of light shining into the darkness of my existence, but even ray of sunlight can be blocked by a menacing cloud, and the cloud that hung over me was no exception.

            In my dreams I lived a life, free from misery and oppression, a life spent with Harry in a world that could let us be together. But even in the happiest moments I would be jolted back to earth by the nagging voice that would tell me it was all fantasy, that I was in fact dead, and destined to be alone for eternity.

            In these times I found myself thinking of the life and people I had left behind, old memories would resurface and on more than one occasion one particular night had remained with me.

A night spent in front of the roaring Gryffindor fire, Ron and Hermione had been together for just over six months and Harry and I had found ourselves spending more and more time together.

On this occasion we had been talking about our wishes, and Harry began to tell me about a mirror he had found in Hogwarts during his first year, a mirror that revealed your deepest desires and secrets.

Of course I had wanted to go see it immediately, I asked him to take me to the mirror, so that I could see my hearts desire, uncertain of what I desired most.

It was then that he had told me that the mirror was lost, that Dumbledore had secreted it away somewhere, saying that it did not do to dwell on dreams.

Well Dumbledore clearly didn't know anything… that one glance of a dream, could help us strive to achieve our desires, to work towards bridging the impossible.

As a child of 14 I had been told of the mirror, and I wanted to look because I did not know what I would see.

Now I fancied I would have seen a long life spent with Harry, in a world without fear or danger or pain, much like the fantasies I found myself imagining night after night.

A world where we could be just two people in love, just love and nothing more.

A world where we didn't need barriers to protect ourselves,

Where we were free to be whoever we chose to be,

A world where we were safe.

And most importantly, a world where we could be together.

The dreams consumed me and more and more I found myself returning to the one thought, _it does not do to dwell on dreams…_

Maybe Dumbledore had had a little sense after all, I found myself applying his worlds to my own situation. As long as I pined for my old life I would be of no use to anyone, even Cedric had deserted me after his efforts to rouse some sort of reaction or emotion out of me other than sadness had failed miserably.

The seasons passed and soon the winter was upon us, Ron, Hermione and Harry had returned to school, and piece by piece life at the burrow was returning to normal, well as normal as a Weasleys life could get.

It was as the snow began to fall over Hogwarts, that I finally saw the clarity in Dumbledore's words. He may have been referring to life, how dreams alone could not sustain you, but I saw deeper meaning…

I may be dead, but those around me were still alive, and while they lived someone had to watch over them, and while I could dream forever, I saw how fragile human life was, how any moment I could lose one of them forever.

I decided It was time to bring all my thoughts and all my plans into action, and if it took my eternity to do it - then so be it.

****

            I needed to come up with some sort of plan of action, and in order to do this I could think of one person who would be perfect to help me. Shaking off my depression once and for all I found myself in the Hogwarts Library.

I began looking through the dusty stacks, no longer following the given pathways but instead embracing my ghost heritage and walking right through them.

It was as I searched in this manner for Jane that I overheard several conversations….

"He's got a plan" drawled a familiar voice, "My father told me; the dark lord is going to pick them off one by one"

            Draco Malfoy sat with his feet on the table in front of him, his lanky form stretched out and relaxed, obviously not studying I observed.

He was of course talking to Blaise, those two had become inseparable during they're sixth year, after Malfoy had finally realised how incompetent both Crabbe and Goyle were.

            While they were ideal as lackeys, neither of the burly pair offered much in the way of stimulating conversation, whereas Blaise with his ebony hair and calculating eyes was the perfect strategist, him and Malfoy combined became a force to be reckoned with.

            The perfect pair, in they're own eyes at least….

            A group of Hufflepuff second years came into the recess between stacks and proceeded to empty the contents of they're schoolbags onto a nearby table much to my disappointment,

            I saw Malfoy playing with his want obviously entertaining the idea of cursing them for the invasion, but instead he stood up and with Blaise in tow he stalked out of the library.

            I sighed... I had almost learnt something then; Draco's biggest weakness was his desire to brag to his friends, something that had helped Harry out-smart him on more than one occasion.

            So Lucius Malfoy was up to something, again… Damn and blast fudge for pardoning the creep.

            I glared momentarily at the giggling Hufflepuffs for interrupting just as I was about to find out something, and began once again walking through the stacks, intent on finding Jane.

            Almost immediately another familiar voice caught my attention,

"I've found it, declared Hermione triumphantly patting a book,

            "Wandless magic – Fact or Fiction?" read Ron loudly over her shoulder… "Codswallop" he said leaning back.

"Ron Weasley you don't know what you're talking about" declared Hermione in her snootiest impression of McGonagall

"Artemis Verinstadt is I highly acclaimed author" she continued,

"Highly acclaimed or not" interrupted Ron, "Wandless magic is nothing but a fairy story... It's impossible"

"Not necessarily" interrupted an amused voice, "Might I ask Miss Granger what your interest in Wandless Magic would be?" twinkled Dumbledore.

"Though it might be interesting reading sir" she replied meekly flushing red … Hermione had always been a bad liar.

"Very well Miss Granger" continued Dumbledore, "but I think you might fine page 342 very interesting" he continued with a smile and disappeared almost had suddenly as he had come.   

            "See, even Dumbledore believes in it" she hissed to Ron

"Yeah but Dumbledore believes Snape can be trusted" retorted Ron going slightly pink around the ears.

Hermione silenced him with one of her looks and began flipping through the pages as they left the Library,

"This'll do just perfectly" I heard her say to herself quietly just as they moved out of hearing distance. For a moment I deliberated over following them, finding out what they were up to, but instead I went back to the task at hand, I was allowing myself to get distracted too easily. I had to become focused on my goals.

Emerging through the nearest bookcase I grinned inwardly as I spied Jane say at a table with a boy who had his back to me. Raising a hand in greeting as I circled in closer my words caught in my throat as I recognised the messy hair and the glasses.

The boy sat talking with Jane was none other than Harry Potter.

_SilvermoonLuna__ – more soon – please  don't hesitate to review – and Darlon you'll be pleased to know I sorted out the problem in the last chappie_


	14. Revelations

Beyond the Grave

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!

**Chapter 12 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder:** _Emerging through the nearest bookcase I grinned inwardly as I spied Jane say at a table with a boy who had his back to me.               Raising a hand in greeting as I circled in closer my words caught in my throat as I recognised the messy hair and the glasses._

_The boy sat talking with Jane was none other than Harry Potter._

Revalations

            Jane appeared to be deep in conversation with Harry, and as I approached she saw me and visibly blanched, if that was possible for her silvery translucent skin. Harry meanwhile didn't notice his head down he continued talking...

            "I have to know, how is it possible, how could I see her?"

"Perhaps you dreamed it?" offered Jane unhelpfully,

Harry slammed his fist on the table, and looked straight at Jane, His eyes were streaked with tears, a look I had become used to seeing when I looked at him, even now every one of those tears stabbed a pain straight into my heart, and once again I found myself vowing that I would stop those tears and make everything alright.

"Perhaps I was" he said coolly, but I could tell he was unconvinced. He rose from the chair and grabbing a book that was on the table between them he bowed his head slightly

"Thank you for your time"

Jane nodded wordlessly, as he turned and walked away..

"What was all that about?" I asked her,

She watched until he had turned the corner of the stack,

"He saw you?" she asked breathlessly

I nodded,

"But how? How is that possible?" she continued, giving me a thoughtful look

"I was hoping you could tell me" I replied, "Haven't you heard of anything like this happening before?"

she shook her head,

"He was asking me if I had seen you, saying he saw you, he said he had felt you presence several times"

Now it was my turn to be shocked, Harry knew when I was there? In that case he knew when I wasn't there as well and these past few months I had spent in my solitude suddenly seemed all the worse, did he know I had deserted him? I shared my thoughts with Jane,

"I don't think so," she assured me, "the way he described the feelings, they were always coming and going, very much interrupted"

I nodded, getting a nagging feeling in the back of my mind, but I chose to push it aside, once again remembering my reason for coming here;

"Jane I need your help" I stated, she looked up her cool grey eyes assessing me quizzically well they might not always have been grey, but they were now..

"I've told you before, I can't talk to Harry for you, I'm forbidden"

"No it's not that"  I interrupted, wondering exactly who it was who had forbidden her and what the consequences would be ..

"I get distracted too easily, there's so many things I need to do, but I never seem to be able to do any of them, there's no way I can ever be of use if I don't do something"

She nodded in agreement, "Well, what do you have to do?"

"there's so much, where do I start?"

"Well in that case, I think we better draft out some sort of plan of action, things you must do."

I nodded and reached out for a quill on the desk on front of me, concentrating I picked it up and dipped it in an inkwell,

We'll make a list then" I grinned at my success with the quill, not noticing the expression of sadness on Jane's face

"Well what's the first point?" she asked

"I have to let Ha ….. Hey, I can pick up a quill, I can write him a notice", I grinned triumphantly, Why hadn't I thought of it before, it was so simple?

 I placed the quill to the paper

"How shall I start it?" I whispered to myself,

An idea struck me, and my smile grew wider as I pressed the quill into the smooth parchment,

Without warning the pen toppled from my hand...

"Dammit" I said reaching for the quill again "I must have lost my concentration"

"It's not that easy" said Jane quietly

I looked at her narrowing my eyes, "What?"

"Don't you think if ghosts could write, wizards or even muggles would know about the second level?"

She sighed and bowed her head, "the same thing that prevents me from telling Harry about you prevents you from using a quill. I don't know what it is exactly because I've never got onto the highest levels, but something out there doesn't want the dead contacting the living, and somehow they know when you are trying to do exactly that, and they stop it"

She looked up with deep sadness showing in her expression, "I'm sorry Ginny" she finished, and rose from her seat, turning around she moved through the bookcase behind her, leaving me alone.

Anger welled up inside me, and I pushed the book off the table letting it clatter to the floor where it lay open face down.

One question kept repeating itself over and over, _Why__? _

_Why let us love?_

_Why did I have to die?_

_Why was I alone?_

_Why couldn't I let him know?_

_Why did he see me that night?_

My frustrations getting the better of me I slammed my hand down on the table and buried my head in my hands, losing myself to a world of pity,

_"Ginny, you couldn't help it, it wasn't your fault", Harry sat up disturbing the crisp white sheets that covered his battered body. I buried my face in the sheets. "It was my fault" I insisted, "I should have been stronger, I should have fought it"  
"Not everyone can" he responded placing his hand over mine, I looked up surprised at the contact and touched by the gesture, I gazed at his distressed face and watched dumbfounded as he reached out to brush away a tear that had been making it's way down my cheek._

_"The Imperius curse isn't something you can break easily" he continued, "it wasn't your fault" he repeated again stubbornly. _

_I nodded through my tears still angry with myself, fury for my moment of weakness that had almost cost Harry his life ... If Ron hadn't turned up when he did... well the thought alone of what could have happened and the implication if what I would have become, they were unbearable. I vowed to myself I wouldn't be caught again. I would not, could not fail Harry.  
  
_

_"Gin?" he asked, breaking my thoughts, _

_                        "Yeah Harry?" I replied looking him in the eyes. I saw a look there for a moment that I didn't recognise, almost an expression of longing for something he couldn't have. He blinked and the look was lost.. _

_                        "it doesn't matter" he finished, "I thought for a moment, well it doesn't matter"_

_                        I nodded still too absorbed in my thoughts to really take much notice. Instead I began pulling on a loose cotton in his bed sheet and swore to myself that I would find whoever it was that had cursed me._

            I snapped out of my memory with a shock, my previous conversation with Jane all but forgotten, _I knew it, I hadn't done it, I hadn't tried to kill Harry, which meant I had no reason to kill myself, which in turn meant I had been murdered, and somewhere out there still at large was my killer._  
  

_[SilvermoonLuna – Thanks Kelly for the review, always nice to have a new reader __J   
                                    Thanks to everyone else who is reading it, please review, I like to know what people think!]_


	15. Hell to Pay

Beyond the Grave

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!

**Chapter 13 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder:**_ I knew it, I hadn't done it, I hadn't tried to kill Harry, which meant I had no reason to kill myself, which in turn meant I had been murdered, and somewhere out there still at large was my killer._

Hell To Pay

            I felt like a great weight had been lifted off me, I hadn't killed myself, I had no reason, my life was happy, and most importantly I hadn't attempted to kill Harry, for the first time in a while I felt free, even happy, it wasn't my fault. Perhaps I hadn't accepted it at the time but now I realised what Harry said was true. The weight had been relieved if only momentarily,

            Because as soon as I started thinking about it and even greater weight settled over me. I found my mind running riot with questions

 that night, the tower, _what was I doing up there? Was I pushed?_

Well that one was almost certain, so one major question remained…. who_ pushed me?_

The mystery was driving me crazy….

why couldn't I remember?

 Why didn't I know what had happened to me?

Was I blocking the memory because it was too horrifying, or was it more sinister? Had someone placed a memory blocking charm on me?  And did they still work when you were dead?

            My head kept coming up with questions that I couldn't answer…

            How long before I died had I attacked Harry? Was it the same night? Or was it a week? A month? Maybe more …

exactly how much memory had I lost.?

            It occurred to me that it couldn't have been more than a week, because Harry was still in the hospital wing the day I discovered I was dead. But then again, perhaps he was in there for another reason?

            _Was he there the night I died? _

I pushed the thought out of my head, I would know, I would have remembered, but a small voice at the back of my head settled in even as I pushed these thoughts away, a voice that whispered with a nagging certainty…

_You don't remember anything else – he could have been there... _

But I knew, had he been there he would have said something, if not at the funeral, then to my parents, he would have offered some sort of solution, hewould have told them with conviction that I had not committed suicide…

_Unless he was the one that pushed you…___

            I forced the voice to shut up, locking it away in my head, screaming it out, because I know it couldn't possibly be right... _could it? _

No that was impossible, Harry loves me, the even thought of it offended me, the idea that Harry could really be evil horrified me, and I was certain without a doubt that it could not possibly be true.

Even more horrifying was the thought that if someone could make me forget with a memory charm that carried over into the worlds of the dead, was the thought that perhaps my memories weren't my memories after all …

            What if I had never attacked Harry? What if my memories had been tampered with?

Voldemort had fed Harry images that weren't real during my fourth year at Hogwarts … could legilimency work past the grave? Was I merely the puppet of someone else's thoughts a pawn in some bigger game? God that voice that blames Harry, they could be in my head right now laughing at me, turning me into a gibbering idiot.

****

            I realised I was being irrational, I was letting my imagination run away with me yet again, paranoia had indeed set in…  I knew Harry wouldn't attack me, Harry loved me, he's lost too much already, he just wouldn't do it.

I tried to force myself back into rational thoughts, taking a deep breath to try and calm myself, but even calmed I found thoughts running riot in my head… there were just too many questions and virtually no answers. __

            Had I made enemies during my time at Hogwarts? Did someone have an ulterior motive? Did they kill me just to upset Harry? If they had it had certainly worked.

Indeed it occurred to me that the reason for my death could have been a mere cause of distraction to get Harry out of the way for a bit, I had come to realise not only had I not fooled Harry, but the pair of us had never fooled anyone but ourselves, I wore my heart on my sleeve, and Harry did the same, but we were both too scared….  Too scared to come to terms with our feelings, scared of what it would mean.

Scared because we lived in a world that feasted on emotional weakness, scared because to fall in love was not a simple act shared by two people but a source of weakness, a target for enemies who thrived on misery and hatred, enemies like Voldemort who saw love as a means to an end, a foolish notion.

Voldemort had one constancy, and that was power, no good, no evil, no love, no hatred, just strength and weakness. And to display fear or love, to show reliance upon another, to him that was easy bait for the taking.

We had made mistakes, and now we were both suffering the costs.

They say you can learn from mistakes, but what if the mistake has finality like ours?

Well I had certainly learned from my mistake, I would never show weakness by caring for another ever again.

I decided I had to find my killer… find the motive….  I would become a glacier, cold and unfeeling, unstoppable….

 I would destroy everything that got in my way, just like the ice torrent moving through a mountain. I would be relentless, unceasing until I had reached my goal, and my goal, well that was easy…

I would find my killer, I would stop them, I would exact my revenge from beyond the grave, I would find out why I was killed, if I was really just a distraction, or something more…..

When they killed me they had no idea what they would be unleashing, I realised I had been steering myself towards this moment since the time I first set Quill to the parchment of Tom Riddle's diary all those years ago.

Perhaps there is such a thing as destiny, I mused, perhaps this was fate, and _perhaps I would be Harry's avenging angel  I_ thought quite liking the idea.

_I could even see myself in the getup with the wings a bow and arrow and burning fire in my eyes… _

but that was enough, I could not allow myself to be distracted.

There was no time to ponder on fate, no time to lose myself in my thoughts, I had finally found my goal in death and I would stop at nothing to achieve it.

Harry was miserable, I was murdered, and now….

**Now**, there would be hell to pay!

_[authors notes – I know it seems like a short chappy, but that seems to be the right place to end it._

_Thanks to all my new reviewers - It was lovely to hear from you all_

_Big big thanks to my beta reader Sir Darlon, who pushes me to write better and is very helpful. __J - Silvermoonluna]_


	16. Something to Believe In

**--Beyond the Grave--**

**Disclaimer: **_Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!_

**Beta Reader**: _Sir Darlon – big thanks I couldn't do this without you!_

**Chapter 14 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder:**_ There was no time to ponder on fate, no time to lose myself in my thoughts, I had finally found my goal in death and I would stop at nothing to achieve it._

_Harry was miserable, I was murdered, and now… **Now**, there would be hell to pay!_

**--Something to Believe In --**

            I found myself sitting on the windowsill of the astronomy tower again, I had come to think of it as my windowsill. But this time I wasn't going to get lost in thought, this time I was there for a reason, perhaps something here, something could remind me of the occurrences of that night. You heard about psychics all the time touching things and getting flashes of a vision. Perhaps by returning to the scene of the crime I would be able to touch something and get a flash of memory.

            Ok so it was a long shot but it was my only lead.

            I touched bricks I the floor the walls, but nowhere was I getting any sort of sense, any idea of what happened that night, nothing in that room stirred up memories, not even the iron leading in the glass window, or the catch where it opened.

            I saw the futility in my plan and stopped touching things, instead flopping down on the broad stone windowsill with my legs hanging over the sides of the tower and my elbows resting on my knees.

            I don't know how long I sat there, staring at the point where I must have hit the ground below, but as I sat there I started to have a niggling doubt. A doubt that I was pushed from the tower, had I even been up here at all?

            I couldn't place the source of these feelings, but with almost certainty I realised I probably had never been up this tower, I had never fallen, I had never been pushed, and I almost certainly didn't jump.

            I materialised on the ground below, and momentarily looked up at the tower ascertaining the exact spot where I should have landed; satisfied I bent and touched the ground at my feet. And finally realised what had caused the doubt the certainty.

            There were no bloodstains.

            Perhaps they could have been wiped away with a scourgifying charm, I thought momentarily, but then was reminded of the time Ron had fallen down the steps at the burrow and cut his lip.

            We were only young at the time but I remember as clear as day how mum preformed spell after spell upon the stone and the blood wouldn't shift. Eventually she had looked it up in Household cleaning spells, and she had found out that while blood won't go away with the first spell, if you scourgify the stone every day for two weeks the stain would eventually fade away.

            So that led me to one conclusion, I had either been dead for over two weeks before I became what I am now, or more believably, I had never been pushed.

            It occurred to me that whoever it was who had killed me threw me at the bottom of the tower to make it look like an accident, make it look like I had jumped, like I had ended my own life.

            Once again I was overcome with questions, If I hadn't jumped and I hadn't fallen from the tower, who was it that put me there, where was I when I died, dammit if I could only remember, as long as I was here trying to work it out the person who killed me was still out there, and they could kill anybody, maybe I was just the first victim to die.

            I came to realise that the only way I could work this out was with help, it was time to find Cedric, it was time to find any other ghosts of people murdered, and it was time for us all to fight back.

-----------------------------------------------

            I decided my first goal would be to find Cedric, I hadn't seen him since I had lost all connection with the world around me, and that was quite some time ago, and that was how I found myself standing at the door to his house, in shock.

            Shock because the homely house I had known as a child had gone to tatters, they had always had a nice whitewash house with a picket fence and a tidy garden, now it looked more like the burrow. Plants had grown wild and taken over the neat lawns and the building itself had fallen into disrepair.

            I hesitated on the doorstep wondering if it would be safe to go in, worried that Cedric might think of it as some sort of invasion of his privacy.

I decided to go in, after all he had come to the burrow to find me, back when I died, it seemed like I had been dead practically forever now, and I could fine myself forgetting the simplest things, things like the taste of strawberries and ice cream, things like the feeling of the sun on my face and the cool wetness of water.

            I found myself missing the feeling of fresh green grass on my feet and waking up every summer holiday to a freshly cooked breakfast and a rowdy family.

When I was younger I found it difficult being the only girl and the youngest in a family full of boys, I had often wished to be an only child, with no brothers to mess up my hair and tease me, now I realised that was what I missed most of all…  I had often wished to lose my brothers, to get some peace in my life, and now that I was alone at last, all I wanted was to have them back.

The door banging in front of me brought me back to reality, and I was surprised to see Mr Diggory stood on the porch. Surprised because I had always known Mr Diggory to be a man who took pride in his appearance, but now he looked almost as bad as the house, he hadn't shaved in at least a week and his shirt was crumpled, I was almost certain that had I been able to smell he would have reeked of alcohol, judging by his eyes and his unsteadiness on his feet.

A wave of pity for Cedric overcame me, I had watched my family pulling together to grieve over my death, his it appeared had never got over it. Poor Cedric having to watch his family fall apart like this, no wonder he couldn't put up with me spacing out on him as well.

I stepped passed Mr Diggory and passed through the door, stopping tentatively in the hallway "Cedric?" I called in a low voice, "you here?

Don't ask me why I was bothering to be quiet, its not like they could hear me after all, but perhaps it was from habit, and old habits die hard. Maybe it was because of the house itself, I'm still not completely certain even now, but I just didn't want to say anything loud in that place.

I felt uncomfortable, and I was unsure Cedric would have wanted me to be here, would have wanted me to see his father looking like that, but I had to find him, because I needed his help. He had already told me that he had spoken to others, people who had died unnaturally, people out there who maybe like me were just looking for they're killer.

            After all Voldemort, funny how I'm not afraid to say his name now that I'm dead had had countless victims over the past years, god I realised abruptly, I might even find Harry's parents, after all they had been betrayed and murdered too hadn't they.

            Feeling a little more confident I stepped on the first stair, "Cedric?" I called again, looking up for any sight of him. Thankfully he appeared on the top stair,   
"Ginny" he said uncertainly

I nodded, and he hurried down to my side..

"what are, what are you doing here?" he stuttered,

Understanding his cause for concern I made light of the situation, "Thought I'd drop by just say hi, not very often you see old friends"

He grinned at me briefly and looked around as if he had only just become aware of his surroundings,

            "how bout we go somewhere a little less dismal" he grinned, and I smiled too relieved that he wasn't angry at me for coming here, and seeing this.

"Hogwarts?" I asked?

"Hogwarts" he agreed and we both apparated.

------------------------------------------

            A few hours later I was done explaining, we had chosen to sit beneath the tree by the lake realising that there was unlikely to be anyone else there due to the rain that was currently obscuring Hogwarts. Of course rain didn't affect us so we could sit in it as long as we liked, and not even have to worry about catching a cold, seems that being on another astral plane did have some advantages after all.

"sounds like you've been busy" announced Cedric,

I nodded dumbly, and sat hugging my knees whilst I watched the rain dapple across the surface of the lake causing hundred of little ripples, and somehow creating a low hazy mist just above the water. I had never realised until that moment how beautiful the rain was, how it made everything glisten and look shiny and new. My life had bee spent hiding from the rain, running indoors at the first drop, not wanting to get wet.

Now sat beneath the tree the rain was a wonderful thing, perhaps because it was a thing I would never feel again.

I let out a deep sigh as I watched the giant squid tentatively raise a tentacle in the air, I grinned because it reminded me of myself, stepping into a pool or pond. It reminded me of the way I would hesitantly dip in one toe before making my move, or often changing my mind altogether. The squid had obviously made the latter choice because the tentacle was withdrawn very quickly, and not being able to help myself I chuckled at its cowardice.

"what's so funny?" asked Cedric, I grinned and explained about the squid, but I guess it was one of those things you had to see to believe because Cedric looked at me like I had gone crazy.

"So anyway, where will we start?" he asked,

"I think we should find some more of our sort, there's more out there, perhaps even Harry's parents, or Sirius .. I'm sure one of them would help me.

"Who's Sirius?"

"Harry's godfather" I replied, if anyone wanted to help Harry it would be him.

Cedric nodded taking it all in.

"So where should we start?" I asked Cedric

"our kind seem to frequent the place they died most of all, that or their home."

I grinned, anyone who had heard of Harry Potter knew that it all happened in his parents home in Godrics Hollow, and if what Cedric said was true that would be where we would find his parents.

Only one true question remained, where was Godrics Hollow?

_[Author Notes – hope you like it, if you did please review – Thanks for the review Darlon!! :D – Slivermoonluna_]


	17. Fighting to Float

**rad****--Beyond the Grave--**

**Disclaimer: **_Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!_

**Beta Reader**: _Sir Darlon – big thanks I couldn't do this without you!_

**Chapter 15 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder:** _I grinned, anyone who had heard of Harry Potter knew that it all happened in his parents home in Godrics Hollow, and if what Cedric said was true that would be where we would find his parents._

_Only one true question remained, where was Godrics Hollow?_

--Fighting to Float--

            I had never really thought much about Harry Potter when I was younger, at least not until the day Ron started at Hogwarts, after that I became thirsty for all knowledge on the subject, maybe its meeting someone famous that does it to you, but suddenly I had a new focus for my attention and that was Harry.

            Coming face to face with a living part of history had been amazing for me, I just couldn't see how the boy with the gorgeously messy black hair and startling green eyes that I met for only a moment on Platform nine and three quarters had defeated one of the wickedest wizards ever.

            I just had to find out how he had done it, I mean the guy was only a year older than me and he was one of the most famous wizards that had ever lived.

            After meeting him that day on the platform I suddenly had to know absolutely everything about it, I drove Mam crazy that year because the time I had in previous years spent with Ron, I now spent pestering anybody and everyone on the subject of Harry Potter.

            Eventually after I had driven everyone around me stir crazy, Dad had come home from work one day with a second hand book: _Great Wizarding Events of the 20th Century._

            That book told me in detail all about my favourite subject, How You-Know-Who went to Godrics Hollow, and how he had killed the Potters, both excellent wizards, only to be defeated by a mere child.

            Somewhere between that day on the platform and the summer holidays I developed a crush on Harry, perhaps it was started out of pity, because he had lost both his parents - I could not imagine life without my family.

So by the time he came to stay at the Burrow towards the end of the holidays I was hooked. I spent the whole time locked away in my room, certain that the instant he saw me he would know, and of course going scarlet whenever I came into contact with him didn't really help either.

 Blinking back to reality I became aware of Cedric talking to me,  
"Gin? Are you listening?"

I shook my head a moment as if adjusting to my surroundings and then turned to Cedric who I now realised had been chatting away to me for quite a while..

"I asked if you knew where we could find Godrics Hollow." He repeated with thinly veiled irritation,

"Sorry, I was thinking" I replied, a little distantly, turning to him with a grin I finished, "Wales, it's in Wales"

Finally those years of virtual obsession had paid off, there was only one problem remaining,

Wales wasn't exactly the smallest place in the world, and no only did we have to go there we had to find the ruins of a house that had been left in ruins one night 17 years ago.

It occurred to me that Harry had never really thought about his past, he pined for a life with his parents, yet he had never tried to learn more about them, to go to the place where they had died, or indeed find they're graves, and now look, he had finally seen the inscription on his mothers grave and it meant something.

For some reason Harry didn't have that curiosity gene that most people had, whereas I seemed to have double most peoples, _perhaps I had even pinched his_. I think it was probably a result of being brought up with his horrible family, and never being aloud to ask any questions at a young age. It occurred to me that I probably knew more about Harry's past than he did. But now even my knowledge on the subject wasn't really all that much help, we needed someone who knew, and we needed to know straight away, time here was one of the few things we didn't have.

-----------------------------------------

            Since becoming a ghost I had had many questions, and the only person I had found to answer them all was Jane, so once again I found myself turning to her for advice, hoping she would be able to guide me.

            As always we found her in the Library, and I realised that had her and Hermione ever spoken, they would have quickly become close friends, for each of them had the same desire for knowledge, the same curiosity and devotion to books and all they could offer.

            Among the musty smelling books Jane had found her sanctuary, and now I was yet again to intrude, yet again with a question and the hope that she would be able to give me an answer.

            When I found her she was bent over a book, or at least a ghostly version of a book, I wondered how books could become ghosts momentarily before casting aside the thought for more important things

"Jane?" I asked quietly,

"Ginny" she replied looking up at me and smiling and pulling a few stray hairs away from her eyes,

"I trust things are better since our last conversation?"

I nodded, "I'll just find another way" I grinned momentarily,

"But that's not why were here to see you" I finished jumping straight to my purpose for being there,

"Speaking of we" interrupted Cedric, "Are you going to introduce us?" he flashed his perfect smile at Jane,

"Of course" I replied, momentarily disorientated

Flushing a healthy shade of pink I mumbled, "Cedric, Jane, Jane Cedric" and motioned accordingly,

"So Jane is it" cut in Cedric with an engaging smile, she nodded.

"I remember you, you were in Hufflepuff" she said colouring slightly, well she looked a different shade of grey, you know what I mean.

"Yep" replied Cedric and they both went very quiet.

Taking my chance I jumped in, "Jane? Do you know where Godrics Hollow is?"

She looked at me and paused a moment, "I don't Ginny"

            Dammit, if Jane didn't know where it was I had no chance of finding it, the enormity of my task occurred to me, and I began to panic blindly,

"But Godric?" she continued, my head snapped up and I stared at her eager for her to finish,

"Mightn't that be Godric Gryffindor?"

            The thought had never even occurred to me, and now it seemed too much of a coincidence to bear thinking about, trust a Ravenclaw to spot the obvious while the rest of us were still lost in the clouds.

            "So do you know where he lived? I asked almost jumping with excitement at my discovery,

            Jane brought me crashing back to earth almost at once,

"One would presume Godrics Hollow" she said thoughtfully, "but I still have no idea where that is"

"What about the other ghosts?" asked Cedric once again making his presence known; I smiled at him gratefully whilst Jane paused momentarily to think,

"You could try asking the fat friar" she concluded, "he's been here longer than all of us, I think he haunted this spot even before it was a school"

"Thanks Jane" I smiled briskly and turning to Cedric who appeared now to be gazing at Jane I continued

"Cedric? The fat friar was your house ghost wasn't he?"

            Cedric took a moment to snap back to reality then turned to grin at me; "Got it in one Gin" he chuckled, his eyes shining brightly

"I suppose you want my help finding him now?" he said teasingly,

I nodded vigorously, "Of course!"

He turned to Jane and catching her eye he said rather more seriously, "nice to meet you Jane" and bobbed his head in a very cavalier sort of motion,

She giggled behind her hand and tipped a pretend curtsey before turning to me "hope you find him Gin"

I nodded again fervently,

"Me too Jane, Me too"

Turning back to Cedric, I grinned,

"right, he was your house ghost, any idea where he might be?"

Cedric who was still staring after Jane's disappearing form ignored me,

"Hey, earth to Cedric!" I yelled

"Huh?" he said coming round, looking very much like a kid that had just been caught with its hand in the cookie jar

"Where do you think we'll find the friar?" I repeated in very monotone,

he blushed slightly,

"How about Hufflepuff common room?" I asked

He shrugged, "well I suppose it's worth a look, although he's not there very often" he turned to me slyly, "and I don't think I should be showing a Gryffindor the location to our common room"

Catching the look I shot him he straightened up, "oh alright then" he blustered, "this way"

With that he turned and began walking down the corridor and I soon realised he was heading to the main staircase. As we waited for the staircase to reach us I stood looking at the many paintings scattered over the walls, some of old headmasters, others of great wizarding scientists, and discoverers, I even noticed a portrait of wizard Baruffio who was doomed to suffer a bull landing on top of him every few minutes from outside of the picture.

            It was as we stood there that Cedric tugged my arm pointing to the staircase below us.

            I followed his arm, and saw Harry Ron and Hermione making they're way up one of the lower staircases, I stepped back quickly then realising they couldn't see me anyway I laughed and leaned over the railing trying to catch the sounds of they're voices that were floating up the stairwell.

            "But you don't get it Hermione, she was there, I'm telling you" came Harry's voice.

            "Harry you know full well that the Gray lady could have been talking to anybody, why does it always have to be Ginny" she announced scathingly

Hang on a minute, Harry knew me and Jane were talking?? But he had left, and he didn't always know when I was there,

            "Why do you think it was her Harry?"

Ron's voice floated up the stairwell,

"He reckons he felt her presence"

"Why are you always so sceptical Hermione? You did it to professor Trelawney and now your doing it to me" Harry's voice raised, attracting glances from other people assembled on the various staircases.

            Hermione looked gobsmacked "you know just as well as I do Harry, that Professor Trelawney is a total flake"

            Unfortunately for Hermione raising her voice had been a bad idea,

"ten points from Gryffindor Miss Granger" came a crisp voice, "you will do well not to denounce professors publicly in the future, no matter what your personal opinions are of them" Snape's cloak rustled as he turned to march down the corridor,

            Hermione threw a look at Harry as if to say now look what you done, while Ron muttered barely audibly, causing Harry to flash a grin in his direction.

I could imagine what Ron had said, something along the lines of Snape being an overgrown bat if he was voicing anything like his usual remarks about Snape, and I grinned remembering momentarily how much Ron despised him, I watched as they turned off the stairwell on the floor below and headed down a passage to the right.

            Finally the stair arrived and I skipped down it, making to follow the three of them down the corridor into which they had disappeared. But Cedric's arm reached out to pull me back,

            "The common room is this way"

I paused staring after them, then realised Cedric was right, I would be more help to Harry if I could discover my killer, and work out why I had been killed, I followed Cedric as he led the way past the oak doors of the great hall down a winding staircase that I had never really noticed before.

We went all the way to the bottom, and glancing around the dark bare passage that was lit by only one fiery torch I realised that the Slytherin common room was not the only one that could be found in the dungeon.

It was incredibly smart really, hiding the Hufflepuff common room away down here, who would have thought to look so close to the Slytherin's common room, perhaps Hufflepuffs weren't a bunch of old duffers after all.

Following Cedric through a statue that I think might have been Uric the Oddball, I found myself in a perfectly round room, the circle interrupted only by two flights of stairs that I realised must spiral away into the west tower of Hogwarts.

The walls were lined with black and yellow banners, and scattered everywhere were huge old fashioned black leather seats, making the room look like something from the 60s.

Everywhere I looked people was sat giggling over books and games, or writing on dusty parchments. But the thing that surprised me most was a huge portrait over the fire of Cedric, dwarfed only by A much bigger Picture of Helga Hufflepuff on the opposite wall.

I turned to Cedric, who had turned a bright shade of crimson,

"Seems they liked you then" I grinned,

"They put it there after…. well you know" he said appearing slightly choked,

I nodded in understanding; I felt exactly the same way whenever I thought about my own death,

I stared at the fireplace, focusing on the flames dancing away in the grate,

"looks like he's not here then" I said glumly

"Who isn't?" whispered a jolly voice from behind us.

**---------------------------**


	18. Ghost of a Conversation

**--Beyond the Grave--**

**Disclaimer: **_Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!_

**Beta Reader**: _Sir Darlon – big thanks I couldn't do this without you!_

**Chapter 17 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder: **_"looks like he's not here then" I said glumly_

_"Who isn't?" whispered a jolly voice from behind us._

-- Ghost of a Conversation --

I spun around to find a rather squished face right in front of me. Even If I hadn't seen the fat Friar before I would have known immediately who he was, one thing you could always find with all the house ghosts was that they're nicknames suited them perfectly, and in some cases even the real name did too.

Take nearly headless Nick for example; nearly headless because his head had been almost completely cleaved from his shoulders, but even his real name, Sir Nicholas De Mimsey Porpington had a twisted sort of irony about it.

I suppose not everyone would know about the ironic part though, but me, being a Weasley, and being as poor as church mice, had one advantage;

_Chickens._

We had had chickens at the Burrow for as long as I could remember, and when I was seven it became my job to take care of them. In true style of my obsessive nature, I had to be the best chicken minder ever, a fact that I suppose came in quite handy for Tom Riddle a few years later… _but the less said about that the better. _

I studied chickens with the same intensity that I would later put into my research into Harry's past, I suppose in that one respect I take after Percy … but in my defence as least its only that one little thing..

One of the first things I found out about chickens was the different types of breed, Dorkings and Cornish, and more to the point, Orpington's.

Almost exactly the same as Porpington, and of course I think everybody's heard the saying _running around like a headless chicken_, stemming from the way a chicken with a broken neck would run with its head dangling over its shoulder.

When I heard his name I had made the connection immediately, in fact in my sudden fit of laughter I managed to spit the sweet corn that I was eating at the time right into Colin's steaming bowl of tomato soup. _That turned out to be a great introduction_; I don't think he's ever really forgiven me, although that might be because I got him petrified.

There was only one way to describe the Fat Friar though, and that was round. Round from the circular patch of freckled skin peeping through his hair, to his bi round face with its big round nose, and his big round body.

As round as the room we were still stood in I realised with a giggle, _had they modelled it after him?_

I almost opened my mouth to say precisely that, but stopped myself quickly, remembering it would be a really bad idea to insult someone when I needed they're help, no matter how jolly they're appearance might seem.

Exhaling quickly I cut myself off, and stood there grasping for something to say, meanwhile looking for all the world like a goldfish.

Cedric realising my difficulty cut in and grabbing the Friar's hand he greeted him enthusiastically, a little too enthusiastically for all intents and purposes, but I wasn't about to stop him and instead I shot him a grateful smile as he gave me a conspirative wink over the Friars shoulder.

Stifling giggles I nodded back and Cedric took a step back from the friar who had enveloped him in a huge bear hug.

"Friar, we need your help" he said, whilst the Friar grinned at us heartily and gave a covert glance around the room.

"A little more privacy?" he suggested arching a rather hairy eyebrow

I nodded vigorously and Cedric began leading the way out of the Hufflepuff tower.

**-----------------------------------**

Once again we found ourselves settling near the lake, as the Squid basked in the low waters trying to catch some of the evening sun.

"So how can I help you Miss Weasley" quipped the Friar, turning to me.

I was at a loss for words, how did he know who I was? Then it occurred to me that murder probably didn't happen very often much around Hogwarts, and the rumours surrounding my death had probably even spread to moaning Myrtle' s U-bend.

"We are looking for Godrics Hollow" I began slowly, but quickly accelerating with excitement I continued,

"We realised that it has to be something to do With Godric Gryffindor, and Jane said you were here the longest, even before the founders and that you knewthemandcanyouhelpus?"

I took in a deep breath of air, despite the fact that I no longer really had any lungs to breathe with.

"Wanna say that a bit slower now Gin?" teased Cedric as the Friar let out a long low chuckle.

"Patience is a Virtue Miss Weasley" he chastised,

I blushed crimson and mumbled my apologies whilst Cedric dissolved into fits of laughter on the grass besides me, only calming down when the Frair frowned in his direction.

"So you want to hear the _real_ history of Hogwarts?" he asked

I sat up my legs crossed and nodded attentively eagerly anticipating his start.

"It all began years ago……"

**------------------------**

**_[Author notes:_**_ thank you to all my reviewers, your lovely comments kept me smiling all day, and then I couldn't wait to get home and turn out another chapter. I'm not going to mention everyone because I always find that really annoying when I'm reading a story, its just like quick next chapter NOW! But once again thank you - you're all lovely!!! This chapter's a bit on the short side but the friar has a lot to say so I've decided to stick it all in one chapter than I hope to begin some time tonight. Thanks again to Darlon, you're a star!!! And hope you like the chappy, don't forget to review :o) – **Silvermoonluna****]** _


	19. Hogwarts: A Ghostory

**--Beyond the Grave--**

**Disclaimer: **_Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!_

**Beta Reader**: _Sir Darlon – big thanks I couldn't do this without you!_

**Chapter 17 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder:** _"So you want to hear the real history of Hogwarts?" he asked_

_I sat up my legs crossed and nodded attentively eagerly anticipating his start._

_"It all began years ago……"_

-- Hogwarts: A Ghostory --

            "It all began years ago, long before Hogwarts was a school, back in those days Hogwarts was nothing more than a small castle, with no real resemblance to the building you find yourself in today, and certainly not the same in scales of grandeur.

            Indeed I think all that really remains of the original building now are the bits your find beneath your feet, the dungeons, and the old courtyard, which stood where the grand staircase can be found today.

            There's certainly no remainder of the Muggle village that once surrounded Hogwarts and came under its protection.

"Hang on a minute? Did you say muggles" interrupted Cedric his eyes shining "there were muggles at Hogwarts" I quietened him with a look

"Carry on please Friar" I nodded expectantly.

            The Fat Friar inclined his head and for a moment paused as if in thought,

"There were Muggles here" he agreed, "I suppose it would surprise you to know that Muggles built Hogwarts?" Cedric nodded his head clearly shocked by the Friars words

            "Of course back then it wasn't known as Hogwarts, in fact the only name it really beheld was the name of its lord and master, Albanwr.

            "Wait a minute" I interrupted, "I thought that Hogwarts was built by the founders"

            The Friar Smiled at me indulgently,

                        "A lot of people make the same mistake. But you see what the founders did was bring magic to Hogwarts, There had always been a settlement here, even when I was a boy, people would talk of Albanwr and his wife in they're castle in the north. The founders only created Hogwarts, and while they did indeed build, they also used the original building. Why else do you think a school would have dungeons?"

I nodded realising I had never really thought about it before.

"We will be coming to the creation of Hogwarts soon Miss Weasley, I just ask that you have a little patience, for the story that came before Hogwarts is just as important as the school itself. 

Back then I travelled the length and width of the country spreading the word of the one true lord as we called him, I would walk from one village to another with only my oak stick, a prayer and a song in my heart

            There are many stories I could tell you of my travels, I walked the country, I came into contact with figures of pure legend, Arthur Pendragon, and one of the greatest wizards of all time, Merlin. But this is neither the time nor the place,

Many homes, and castles would turn me away instead relying on their pagan gods, they're woodland gods to protect them, and in that time of darkness and suspicion not everyone would trust the word of a man travelling alone, they claimed I was a Jonah, a pariah, and turned me away from they're doors, scared that I would perform evil magic's upon them, were they to accept me.

Other homes were not so suspicious, they welcomed the weary traveller, and listened to what I had to say, and Albanwr was one of these, though I came to him in a much worse state than many others.

I had undertaken a particularly treacherous journey through the Scottish highlands, and for all intents and purposes I meant to reach Castle Albanwr, and I meant to reach it before sunset, as I had heard of the dangers of this particular forest and the demons it was said to house.

My journey however had been interrupted, and I was attacked by all manner of foul creatures, it seemed that with the darkness of the trees to cover them sunrise or sun fall didn't matter.

I still don't know to this day how I escaped them, I think there was a wolf that helped me get through the worst of it, a snow white wolf with pale blue eyes, it held them back in the darkness and shadows and allowed me to escape.

I ran through the forest and the very trees themselves seemed to be attacking me, and I tore my thick habit on stray branches, as I struggled through the thick undergrowth.

Somehow I managed to escape the forest just as the sun was setting and as I hammered on the castle door and fell into a faint, I heard a wolf howl triumphantly in the distance.

Momentarily I thought this is it, my life is over, and then, I am ashamed to say I blacked out.

**---------------------------------------------**

            I awoke what must have been many days later,  finding my self in a room with a flickering fire, covered by rough blankets. I stared around at my surroundings, the round room with its huge fireplace, and small leaded windows.

            That room later became the hufflepuff common room, but as I said before I'm getting ahead of myself.

            The door creaked open and I found myself sitting up in bed to see who came in, and I saw a tall woman with raven black hair, and startling green eyes set in a heart shaped face looking straight at me.

            Becoming aware of my state of undress I quickly reached for the blankets pulling them up to cover my shoulders, and judging by the smile that twinkled in her eyes I probably went a very becoming shade of pink as well.

            Thinking back on that time now I could probably have behaved differently, and indeed remembered my upbringing, however I did not,

"Where are my clothes?" I demanded of her,

            She threw back her head and laughed, a sound like water trickling over pebbles in a mountain stream.

                        "Your clothes are by your bed side master friar" she told me in her low voice that sounded like honey, "And you have been here for six days".

            Remembering my manners I bowed low and apologised for my rudeness and thanked her for her hospitality;

"Never mind" she told me, "It's only to be expected with what you've been through. Did nobody tell you never to travel those forests alone?"

I nodded glumly, the last village I reached had told me precisely that, but I had ignored them, too full of my own self importance, certain that god would protect me.

            I now regretted my pride.

---------------------------------------

            It wasn't for several more days that I met Albanwr; he had left on a hunt whilst I was unconscious, and was yet to return. I found myself wandering the castle and the small village inside its towering walls, and everywhere I was greeted with welcoming smiles, and open faces, something I had never once come across in my past travels, yet there also seemed to be something else, the people here seemed to be holding something else back. And it wasn't until two moons has past that I found out.

            But first let me tell you of Albanwr, he was a rich lord, but a fair one. He allowed the people here the protection of his walls, and when I met him I found myself looking upon a man I would very much like to please. He had one of those shining personalities that attracted people like moth to a flame. And his flame it seemed burned the brightest of all.

            Something else I learned when he had returned was that he had a daughter, a daughter who remained almost constantly by his side. Her hair was as pale as her mother's was dark, and it gleamed like moonlight. She had also gained most of her mother's height and stood tall and willowy, and delicate. Most startlingly however were her eyes, as blue as a lapis lazuli. I had the feeling I had seen those eyes somewhere before, but try as I might it escaped me, and I had certainly not seen the girl before. Perhaps it was just the colour, the same blue as the early dusk. I pushed the thought to the back of my head, just a romantic notion and promptly forgot about it.

            His wife Ceridwen, it turned out was a prophetess, she had some sort of sight tat allowed her to see into the future. She dreamed things that were yet to happen. And I discovered this is how they had found me, the wolf that rescued me being a magical form of they're daughter Lily.

            "She was an animagus?" interrupted Cedric, "back then?"

            The friar nodded, and continued not giving us chance to ask anything else...

"Ceridwen it turned out was a wise woman, as they called them back then, and her daughter had inherited her mothers powers, today you would have called them both witches, but in that time of  darkness such gifts were best kept secret, and had I known that in my youth, perhaps things would not have turned out as they did.

Five summers after I had arrived at the castle, a man had showed up at the gates, pleading for a bed for the night. Albanwr allowed him entrance to his home, and the moment the man set eyes on Lily, and her on him, they fell in love.

            You often of hear of love at first sight, and until that moment I had never believed in it, but lily and the stranger were made for each other and it was evident to all. That first night the man sat and told us his story.

            He was a powerful looking man with a shock of red hair, he told us of his home in the moors of Wales, and how he had travelled north seeking three friends only to come under attack from the same creatures that had attacked me.

            The mans name was Godric Gryffindor"

            I gasped, "You knew Godric Gryffindor?"

Cedric scoffed, "Course he did Gin, if he was here longer than the school, I bet he knew all the founders.

            The friar's eyes twinkled,

"I knew him in life, Miss Weasley, but you are mistaken Mr Diggory, I knew the other founders only in death."

            It was now Cedric's turn to appear shocked, and he blurted suddenly "but how did you die?"

            "All in good time Mr Diggory, all in good time.

            Lily and Godric became betrothed, and I myself married them, as you already know Godric himself was a wizard, and therefore did not have any qualms about marrying a witch

            Within a year she was with child, and she later gave birth to another little girl that they called Anwen, which Godric told us meant very beautiful in his native language.

            Albanwr had never been more proud of his daughter, as we all were. For I had come to look upon them by this time as family which makes what I did even worse.

            Most surprisingly of all though was that spending time with these people, I found I also had powers, powers that remained dormant really until I had arrived at the castle.

            Ceridwen actually told me one day that she only ever had visions about magical people, but I never really made the connection until my own powers began showing through.

            Just little things, people seemed instantly at ease with me, and I seemed to have a talent with animals, I could soothe a horse when no-one else would go near it.

            Godric realised that this was dormant power and began encouraging me to use it, to focus it.

-----------------------------

            It was tradition every spring to travel to the nearest town, just across the mountain to trade and barter for provision for the forthcoming year that way we could keep our own village prospering.

I had been only twice as Godric usually travelled alongside Albanwr, this time however he had visited Wales and taken Anwen with him, for her to meet his family.

Lily was going to go with him but stayed at the castle knowing she was needed there as her mother had been sick in bed, under some sort of fever that no-one seemed able to cure, ironic really, Ceridwen was the healer, and now the healer was dying no one was there to really help her...

I went along to the nearest town with Albanwr, and somehow found myself in a tavern, drowning my sorrows and my worries for Ceridwen in a pint of finest ale, whilst Albanwr collected the provisions he required.

Had I not been drinking, I may have noticed the whispers going on in the tavern around me. Whispers of witches and evil and Albanwr. Hearing a shout in the street I rushed out only to find Albanwr stabbed, his blood spreading outwards in a circle away from his body.

"Who did this?" I yelled in a fury, "What harm had he ever done you?"

I looked into the face of my old friend, his eyes had now taken on a deathly pallor, "Lily, Ceridwen" he whispered, "take care of them".

Someone kicked me and sent me sprawling into the filth that lay all around.

I turned around fists ready to fight, only to be advanced upon by a group of men each with murder gleaming in they're eyes. In my temper I somehow managed to fling the pitchfork out of one farmer's hands, setting off a whole new riot.

They looked momentarily scared, but then realising they outnumbered me fifteen to one, they began advancing.

I struck out blindly with my fists trying to stop them, drive them back, all the time frantically trying to call on that power that had lifted the pitchfork, but for some reason it was blocked to me. Thinking back I realise it was probably because I was panicking, and it required concentration.

The men continued to advance, and even with my fists flailing I was no match for them. I was stabbed in the rib cage before they drew out the knife and repeated the action.

My last thought before I blacked was that I had failed Albanwr, I couldn't perform his dying wish so I had failed them all.

----------------------------------------------

I found myself as a ghost and for a while I was disorientated, as we all are on such occasion. And when it finally returned to me why I died, why I was running it was too late.

I got to the castle and all its occupants were dead, killed by people later to become muggles, killed because the villagers were too ignorant, and too suspicious, too afraid of differences.

Godric returned days later with three friends and Anwen in tow, when everything was lost.

Being the last remaining member of Albanwr's family the castle and its land were now his. He was overcome with grief at the death of his Lily, overcome because her magic had not been strong enough to defend her. Had she only known a little more she may have been able to stop them.

It was then that he swore with his three friends to create a place where Witches and Wizards could learn about they're powers, where Anwen would be safe, and where muggles would never reach them again.

A school was born from the ashes of Castle Albanwr, and he called it Hogwarts, a type of Lily, after his lost flower."

I sat dumbfounded, they had all been massacred, just because they were wizards, and it was terrible. No wonder Hogwarts had been built.

Cedric meanwhile grasped at the one straw we had remaining, "Godric came from the Welsh moors? Well there can't be that many moors in Wales, it's all mountains"

_[Author Notes, - thanks again for the reviews, hope you like the new chappie, I will update soon – Silvermoonluna]_

            I


	20. Broken Dreams

**--Beyond the Grave--**

**Disclaimer: **_Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!_

**Beta Reader**: _Sir Darlon – big thanks I couldn't do this without you!_

**Chapter 18 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder:** _Cedric meanwhile grasped at the one straw we had remaining, _

_"Godric came from the Welsh moors? Well there can't be that many moors in __Wales__, it's all mountains"_

**-- Broken Dreams-- **

I sat in the darkened common room, the only source of light the glow of the flames that flickered in the grate, I fancied that if I still could feel, the flames would be burning my face, and possibly even snatching my hair and creating a true fiery mane homage to the metaphor that people often gave it.

Instead I felt nothing, except perhaps the coldness inside. A coldness created by a sense of failure and loneliness.

After two weeks of searching for Godrics Hollow I was no closer to my destination, indeed it seemed further off than ever, my journey loaded with obstacles beginning primarily with the un-scalable block wall that I found myself facing now, I had exhausted all options and followed all avenues, and there was still no trace.

The moor the friar had mentioned turned out to be a bad lead after all, and it was only after hours of pouring over maps of Wales that I realised that it didn't have any moors as such, well not moors vast enough to be classed as_ the_ moors, I was starting to wonder if Godrics Hollow was indeed in Wales after all, the books all said it was, and books couldn't be wrong _right?_

It was times like this that I really could have done with Hermione and her unsurpassed research skills.

As if she had heard my thought the portrait to my left swung open, and I was surprised to see Ron Hermione and Harry clambering in. I stood up to face them wondering why they were out so late at night and remembering the last conversation of theirs that I had overheard.

The firelight reflected in Harry's glasses as he looked directly at my position.

"Ginny?" he said quietly and then louder he rushed towards me,

"Ginny it's you isn't it!"

Ron and Hermione both swung around open mouthed, and Hermione voiced uncertainly

"Harry there's nobody there"

Harry swung around to look at them and then swung his head back to me, "It's you isn't it Gin, I can see you" he said quietly,

A riot of emotion overtook me and I felt a tear make its way down my cheek, perhaps I was wrong perhaps it had all been some nightmare, but somehow I know it was real, and I couldn't work out why he could suddenly see me. I sat down not knowing what to do what to say,

"It's me Harry, I" my lip trembled uncertainly, "I'm dead" I whispered, this seemed to be the wrong thing to say, because he looked down at his hands wringing them together

"Harry? Are you saying you can see my sister?" Ron's voice interrupted the silence

Harry at looked at him and turned back to me, "Why can only I see you" he said in the same detached voice,

"I don't know" I whispered back longing to reach out and touch him and quell some of the turmoil I could see in his eyes, and ignoring my better instincts I reached with my hand and he did the same, but as our fingers would have met my hand passed through it leaving him clutching at air, and me thrown into another fit of memory

_I crawled backwards through the mud, as the rain washed down in torrents, hitting my face and hiding any tears that would have otherwise shown. The shadowy figure stood above me wand raised as if taking aim to perform a spell, and fear coursed through me as I realized and spells made would be directed straight at me. "Why? Who are you?" I yelled, and then more scathingly "Another lapdog doing his 'masters' bidding?" the figure reached out a hand at that one and struck a blow across my face, but even now the face was shrouded in shadow, and although I was almost certain it was somebody I knew I could not identify them._

_ I'm not sure why I thought I knew them, perhaps it was a particular smell that tinged on the edge of my senses, but either way it was something I had smelt before, something familiar to me, that I realized I could not place. I backed away further struggling to get to my feet and sending a frantic glance at my surroundings, trying to see my wand._

_ "You shouldn't have messed little girl" came back a voice low and gruff, a voice that also had a tinge of familiarity, but sounded like its maker had attempted to disguise their own natural tones somewhat. "What made you think you could protect me, what make you think that I would need your protection?" _

_ I realized that the person in front of me was wearing a hood, another faceless death eater, another mindless minion, the idea caused hot blood to run through my veins.  
"Did they tell you I'd be easy to beat" I screamed in fury "did they tell you that the little girl would go quietly" I rose to my full height making what I assumed was an intimidating pose.  
as the shadowy figure stepped towards me and let out a hollow laugh I took my opportunity._

_Calling up every ounce of determination I struck out, determined to cause as much trouble as I could, determined not to go quietly.  
  
_

_"Not such a weak little girl after all" I laughed with a madness that seemed to have consumed me, all logic and intellect gone and in its place nothing but a wild animal with a shock of red hair._

_ I threw myself against my aggressor and the hood fell back to reveal raven black hair …hair black as ebony, hair that seemed to refuse bitterly to stay flat. Hair that I had seen brushed flat without success hundreds or even thousands of times. _

_ I blinked, my eyes must have been playing tricks on me, its only hair, and we've been fighting, and anyone could have messy hair. But even as I told myself this I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. _

_ The figure reached for the wand that I had dropped with reflexes that put my own training to shame and as I scrambled backwards a sense of horror overwhelming me the figure turned to face me snatching the featureless white mask away as it did so._

_ The face was still in shadows, but the height, the build, one I had watched so many times, yet still I convinced myself that I must be wrong, that what was happening was impossible._

_ It was as I heard the unmistakable chuckle, and watched as the wand hand raised that a flash of lightning tore through the shadows and momentarily caught the features of my attackers face lighting the cheekbones that I had etched into memory, the lips that I had wanted to brush against mine from the moment I saw them._

_It was as I heard two words barely more than a whisper that my last remainder of hope vanished. _

_And as the eerie green light impacted with my chest and I fell to the ground two startlingly green eyes and a lightning shaped scar burned itself into my memory._

I snapped out of my previous vision, and turned accusing eyes on the boy in front of me, and with a fury I had never known I turned on him "you" I said, and glared ready to attack, if only I could.

"Ron, get away from him" I yelled, "Harry Potter is my murderer"

"Ginny" came his voice frantically calling, and I realized Harry could no longer see me.

"Ginny where did you go?"

I backed away, wondering if he had heard my final words, wondering if he realized that I knew he was my murderer. Something nagged lightly at my mind, a little voice repeating over and over again, it couldn't him, Harry wouldn't have done it, and he loved me didn't he?

I ignored the voice in my head and locked it away inside me, along with any feelings that I might have held for Harry. The silver thread that I had felt so often between us pulling us together now broken with the realization that the person I loved, the person I thought loved me had killed me, and was now spending a lot of time with my own family.

The absurdity of it all occurred to me as well, Only days ago I had dispelled the thought that Harry could have attacked me as pure paranoia, and now, I let out a hollow laugh that held no real cheer or warmth, now my nightmares had come true and my knight on his white horse was really the monster coming to get me.

I sent one more sideways glance into the fire besides me, and imagined the last of my feelings for him burning away with the embers, and dissolving into the ash that would scatter on the wind.

"But you didn't see her face" I looked at the person in front of me, no longer recognizing him or caring for him, instead I felt repulsed, how could he have gone on the way he did, spoke of love for me, and then be my attacker. Even after my death I realized, for he had spoken at my funeral as one who really cared, and on occasion seemed totally stricken with my demise.

It now occurred to me that he was covering his tracks, who would ever even consider the boy who lived the boy who spoke of his love for me, the boy who lied. And the tears of loss were they really nothing but tears of guilt because he was tearing apart the only family he had ever had?

I felt like I no longer knew anything, I could not trust my emotions, because they had led me once again in a downward spiral, but this time, Ginny Weasley wasn't going to fall for it, this time I would not be beaten, I would not stay down, I had previously vowed to help Harry, leave him so he was never alone and now, everything I had hoped, and desired, everything of which I dreamed, was broken.

_[A/N new chappy for you, don't panic and don't stop reading!! I know it's a little out there, just bear with me ok!! I had a lot of difficulty writing this one hence the large delay, now the worst of it is over it should be more frequent here on in!! Extra big thanks to Darlon who helped me work out my final plot as well!!!! Got it all in head now people, its just a case of getting it down on paper!! Many thanks to all my reviewers, keep em coming!- SilvermoonLuna] _


	21. Fuel For Thought

**--Beyond the Grave--**

**Disclaimer: **_Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!_

**Beta Reader**: _Sir Darlon – big thanks I couldn't do this without you!_

**Chapter 19 – Beyond the Grave**

  
**Reminder:** _everything I had hoped, and desired, everything of which I dreamed, was broken._

**--Fuel for Thought-- **

Three days had passed since that night, the night my whole world had fallen apart and come crashing down around me. I still find myself thinking how could he? How could he say he loved me with one breath and kill me with the next? How could he hold his head up high and talk to Ron like nothing was different like nothing had happened, like he hadn't murdered me?

How could he seem so unaffected? How could he spend all that time around my parents knowing he had killed they're only daughter.

We did everything for him, we accepted him, we made him one of us, and his response, he had stepped into the very heart of us and now he was ripping it out, with no care for the consequences, no guilt for the blood on his hands, for the trust he had betrayed.

It's amazing how quickly love can turn into hatred, the person who coined the phrase "only a thin line between love and hate certainly knew what they were talking about.  
Only days ago I had longed for his touch, I had made every effort to try and contact him; I had been willing to go through hell and back to be with him again.

And now? Now I wanted to step on his trademark glasses, I wanted to pull that messy mop he called hair, and poke out those emerald green eyes.

Dare I say it? Voldemort had had the right idea, Kill Harry Potter…… I even began entertaining the thought that Harry was the true evil wizard and we had all been brainwashed to become oblivious of his faults.

His little quirks and eccentricities that I had previously found adorable were now annoying, even infuriating, and the best thing about my afterlife became the fact that he wasn't in it.

In my fifth year, Tonks had become the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. Dumbledore said that the best person was an experienced auror. And during her time with the order she had certainly had her fair share of experience.

I think his decision was also helped by the fact that she had joined the order in those first years of doubt, back when the ministry denied Voldemort had returned.  
The problem nowadays was that no one could be trusted, new friends could not be made, because everyone was in a constant state of alert, and suspicious of anything different, anyone they did not know.

In that first year several families had even removed their children from Hogwarts, because it was no longer perceived as one of the safest places in the wizarding world, instead it was seen as a prime target for Voldemort's followers.

Take out Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore in one great swoop and you removed the two main forces for the side of good in this war.

One of the first to voice this opinion was Ernie Macmillan, or more to the point his parents, when they expressed to the Daily Prophet that they didn't want their son attending a school that had been a primary target for Voldemort ever since Harry had attended.

The Daily Prophet whilst now doing all they could to raise Harry to hero status (the fickleness of the press) loved this idea and immediately started posting propaganda, which of course caused even more families to remove their children and on it went, with Hogwarts losing more and more pupils.

Tonks had been an ideal choice, young friendly, and it seemed a natural adaptation to teaching, her approachable manner making her a quick favorite with everyone, of course the pink hair might have had something to do with it as well, combined with the fact that she showed very little regard for self discipline, her lessons disorganized and all the more interesting for it.

She had taught us never to trust our enemies, to hold them close where we could forever keep an eye on them, of course that was a lot easier said than done if you weren't a metamorphmagi and a master of disguise.

Now I found myself following that lesson, and I began watching Harry following him around, certain that I would catch him out, if he was up to something I would make it my business to know about it and if he was aware of my constant presence he never showed it.

I made it my business to know everything about Harry Potter, I followed him almost everywhere, and Cedric helped because I really did not want to see him in various stages of undress.

Cedric hadn't taken the news too well, but who could argue with memory, and he accompanied me occasionally, and eventually I had even surmised that Harry could have set up his death as well, perhaps Harry had been evil all along. Something Voldemort instilled in him that night he killed his parents.

It was after all amazing how a mere baby boy could live and supposedly defeat the evilest wizard ever while several powerful wizards perished at his hand, and the way Harry had outdone him year after year, was it all a ruse? When you stopped and thought about it the pieces all fell into place.

In his first year Harry had defeated Voldemort instilling Dumbledores faith in him.

In his second year he had written to that diary and trapped Tom Riddle the junior version of Voldemort, thus earning my families trust love and gratitude.

In his third year Harry helped one of Voldemort's loyal servants escape, even Ron had grumbled at the time that Harry should never had let Peter Pettigrew live.

In his fourth year Harry helped kill Cedric and was responsible for the return of Voldemort, using his own blood to help him return to his former body.

And in his fifth year he had been instrumental in the death of Sirius Black, a sworn enemy of Voldemort.

Indeed even the murder of the Dursley's in his sixth year could have been part of a plan, for hadn't Tom Riddle himself killed his only family at the age of sixteen? He had emulated his master and that final move had made Harry a permanent fixture in the Weasley family and therefore privy to no end of order secrets.

And me? His seventh year victim? Why? A warning to Dumbledore perhaps that Hogwarts wasn't as impregnable as he thought it to be. The fact that I was the child of an order member and an accomplished wizard in my own right only helped to impress the danger they were all in.

My mind filled with these twisted thoughts, and while I knew for definite that some of them couldn't possibly be true I also didn't care, I let my imagination run riot, fuelled by hatred, hatred he had brought about with my murder.

[_sorry__ about the delay in getting all this posted, I've been unable to sign into fanfic for the past three weeks. Other chappie is pre written, ill get my beta to pass it and post as soon as possible – Silvermoonluna_]


	22. All in the Eyes

**--Beyond the Grave--**

**Disclaimer: **_Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!_

**Beta Reader**: _Sir Darlon – big thanks I couldn't do this without you!_

**Chapter 20 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder:** _I let my imagination run riot, fuelled by hatred, hatred he had brought about with my murder._

-- **All in the Eyes** --

After two weeks of following Harry it seemed like I had been doing it for an eternity, and even now it seemed like nothing was happening, he was my murderer the weak link in the order, the spy at Hogwarts and he did nothing.

It's almost like he knew I was watching him. But that of course was impossible, and surely after my reaction to him in the common room he would know that I knew his dirty little secret. Because he did know what had happened didn't he?

It still didn't explain why he could see me, and why nobody else could, it also didn't explain why he stopped seeing me the moment I discovered the truth. Had he heard me? Did he only pretend not to see me? There was a lot going on with Harry Potter and I was determined to get to the bottom of it all.

And for now getting to the bottom of it involved sitting in the Library listening to whatever hair brained scheme my brother had come up with, while Hermione studied and old volume and Harry sat drawing snitches and broomsticks all over a piece of parchment.

"That's it" exclaimed Hermione, and she propped up the old book in front of her, a book I recognized as the one she and Ron had checked out on Professor Dumbledores advice.

"Huh?" Ron replied breaking his chatter,

"Dumbledore was right about page 342" she continued, "I couldn't see it until now, but if you cross reference it with the history of magic book and page 23 it makes perfect sense"

"Whoa Hermione, What?" interrupted Ron, I think he must have sensed what was coming next because he recoiled slightly and Harry grinned, a smile that shed rainbows, but now my heart was hardened against anything he had to offer, wasn't it?

"Honestly Ron, I sometimes wonder how you ever passed any of your OWLs" began Hermione taking on what I liked to think of as her McGonagall stance,

Ron blushed crimson and ducked his head, all the while trying to hide a mischievous grin "I know exactly how babe, you helped me" he said flippantly interrupting what had been about to develop into a full blown lecture.

Hermione looked slightly gobsmacked for a moment, then kissed Ron's cheek, and smiled at him indulgently, "you win this once" and while Ron's grin spread even wider than I thought physically possible, she flicked the pages of the book looking for a reference point.

"Here listen to this" she said hefting the book into the middle of the table so they could read it with her

"Magic performed without a wand is a very rare and somewhat obscure branch of magic often scoffed at by modern day magicians because it is almost impossible to control.

A Magic wand is used as a conductor and focuser for wizard's powers, and while it is said that we do not actually need wands to perform magic, it is also observed that the results can be catastrophic without one.

The difficulty when performing wandless magic is coming up with some sort of other conductor for power, and this is where many wizards are at a loss, choosing usually to use a hand or to point.

Both of these methods are ineffective because the wizard has too often released power whist in a rage or pointing at someone they didn't wish to harm and to this day many wizards still search for a conductor that is part of the wizard, so that they are not hampered by the requirement of a wand."

"What's that got to do with anything?" huffed Ron sitting back and spreading his long legs in front of him.

"Well listen to page 92" Hermione insisted flicking through the ancient pages to find the correct passage. "Here it is"

"Wandless magic is thought to be possible, witches in medieval times left no record of use of wands, and while potions and cauldrons have always been an essential part of witch craft it is thought that our ancestors found a way to direct magic without any visible assistance.

It is also thought that this process was hereditary and rather than passed through lesson and discipline it was a natural talent from birth."

"Ok so wandless magic needs a conductor, and it's hereditary? Hermione sometimes I think you've flipped completely, its not real, its just something they made up to sell books, besides that doesn't have anything to do with anything, and why are you making me sit here and look through all this when its tea time and I'm starving" Ron let it all out in one go barely pausing for air, and as if to back up his words his stomach could be heard rumbling only moments later.

"Ron sometimes I wonder what I see in you, are you always so dense? I swear if you added one and one together you'd make eleven the way you go on" she chastised standing with her hands on her hips.

"Harry can you pass the history of magic book please" she turned using a slightly more pleasant tone.

"As you both know not all history is that told by wizards, and whilst the majority is, there are also accounts from muggles in that book, Bathilda Bagshot really knew what she was doing when she wrote that book."

She continued flicking the pages scanning quickly over the contents and let out a little whoop of victory when she found what she was looking for…

"Here you go… right here" she turned the book and pointed to the page of the book now spread in front of her…. Taking a deep breath she began to read,

_"There is also evidence that many years ago wizards performed magic without wands, one sort is old muggle stories and testimony, they're history often speaks of 'wise women' indeed it was not uncommon for each village to have one. These women are thought to have been early witches, and were respected by the villages for their abilities to heal and cure ailments._

_ Muggle history has also been a great help, and this extract letter discovered in the early 19th century shows evidence of one such woman. _

_Dear Marie,_

_ I have spent much time recently traveling the Scottish highlands, and found them to be a highly suspicious people. Among the tales of loch ness monsters and banshee, I have also discovered an old tale of a wise woman, reputed for her healing powers._

_ The tales do not tell too much but talk of a woman with appearance not common to this area. Instead of the usual fiery red and auburns of the celts this woman had hair black as ebony that fell to her waist, and eyes that have been described as the colour of emeralds and deep as pools._

_ Not only was her skin the palest shade of alabaster but the townsfolk believed her eyes held magical properties, possibly even the source of her power._

_It is said she lived in a castle secreted away in the highlands but my searching has proved fruitless, and it is almost like a hidden force is trying to interrupt me and prevent me from discovering anything else. _

_ The end of the story just talks of how the townspeople lived in fear and killed this so called witch, but as far as I can see it was ignorance and nothing more. People today are uncertain of her origins or even if she was real and her story has become a myth amongst villagers around here so it us unlikely that I will discover anything else._

_The letter went on for a further two pages but there was no further mention of this mysterious witch. She also does not crop up in our own histories leading us to believe that she led a simple life away from everyday wizards and the ministry. What is relevant however is that the villagers thought the source of her power was her eyes, there is no mention of a wand? _

_It is feasible that the eyes could indeed focus magic for is their initial task not focusing in itself. And while the debate goes on that there is or isn't wandless magic it is certainly probable that such testimony adds fuel to the debate."_

Hermione looked up her eyes showing the same sort of triumph that she had whenever she passed an exam, a cat with the cream that has just licked the whole lot down without being caught.

"I still don't get it Hermione" said Harry slowly, "what's that got to do with anything?"

Hermione sighed and threw up her hands in exasperation/

"Harry do you have to have everything explained" said Ron rather smugly in fact using exactly the same tone that he used to use on me whenever he thought he was right and I was wrong, the superior I know something you don't sort of tone, but usually when he used that tone he was wrong."

Hermione spun to face him, "well Ron you can explain it then"

His ears turned red and a blush slowly made its way down his neck as he bent his head and mumbled something.

"Sorry what was that Ron?" said Harry with a grin, "I didn't quite hear you"

His eyes twinkled as if he knew perfectly well what Ron was going to say, and bearing in mind he had been Ron's best friend for close on seven years he was probably right as well.

"I said I haven't got a clue"

Hermione giggled and Harry let out a loud guffaw instantly stifled as he drew 'the look' from Madam Pince.

"Honestly, you pair, I don't know what I'm supposed to do with you, here I am working over this all day and I bet the pair of you weren't even listening"

Probably too busy making plans to kill you both I thought briefly shooting a glance at Harry.

"The gravestone, the epitaph"

Ron and Harry looked at her blankly; boys could be so thick sometimes.

"_She will leave her imprint on this world_

_Through the eyes of another"_

Hermione quoted the last sentence

"What about it?" replied Harry still looking at her blankly

"It was a message don't you see, eyes of another,

Harry everyone always tells you how you have your mother's eyes, and while people often say it about babies it certainly doesn't continue as they grow up, and it definitely doesn't come up as often as it does with you!"

She took another breath and I could see her about to go off into another lengthy diatribe. Ron obviously recognized the signs as well because he interrupted,

"get to the point Hermione what is it?"

She glared in his direction.

"You have your mother's eyes Harry, eyes that are bright green like emeralds and deep as pools"

Recognition slowly began to pass over the boys faces

"Eyes that are capable of performing wandless magic" Ron whispered

"The focuser" she continued slowly.

I had also realized what she was saying but instead of the happiness and even awe that they displayed I felt another feeling, one not so nice, because an evil wizard who could perform wandless magic on top of everything else was the last thing I needed.


	23. The line between love and hate

**--Beyond the Grave--**

**Disclaimer: **_Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!_

**Beta Reader**: _Sir Darlon – big thanks I couldn't do this without you!_

**Chapter 21 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder: **_because and evil wizard who could perform wandless magic on top of everything else was the last thing that I needed!_

**-- The Line Between Love and Hate --**

When I had heard about Harry's power despair had coursed through me, but now it was worse because Hermione and Ron and Harry were now trying to cultivate it, to cause something to grow from the seeds of power already in place. And seeing him struggle seeing him suffer as he tried to access this power seemed in some twisted way to give me enjoyment, finally he was suffering as I had suffered, but even still the voice that I had tried to subdue still came back whispering to me, whispering that he couldn't really have killed me could he? And a part of my heart even went to him in his pain, a part that I would quite happily have chopped out given the choice but was unfortunately still a part of me.

Day in day out I followed him but still there was never a clue, never any sign that he was anything other than his own face value, and while I watched him carry on with his life, carry on without me parts of me seemed to flake away leaving nothing behind but raw emotion, anger that I was being forgotten, dismay that he could continue without me, hatred because he felt no guilt, misery because I had become a thing of the past.

Even so in the dark nights that I sat watching his bed I was almost certain that I could hear stifled sobs between Ron's loud snorts and Neville's little wheezy whistles, I was certain that had I gone close to his face, had I looked closer he would have been awake while the others slept tears in his eyes, perhaps not for the parents and family he had lost, but for the girl that was and could be no more to him.

Could this really be a healthy way to spend my afterlife? Obsessing over my death? Dreaming of victory over my murderer and all the while longing for his glance, his words and his caress.

_Was it possible to love and hate at the same time?_

I had often heard during my life of the thin line between love and hate, but I thought of it as a saying, a cliché nothing more. Now here I was living that cliché, that lie, convincing myself that he was evil, convincing myself he was the enemy but still desperate for an acknowledgement.

The ice that I had built around my heart, the cold that had consumed me after the memory seemed to be melting, did it matter that he was certifiably evil? That he placed my whole family at risk? That he went against every ideal, every thing that I had believed in.

Was it possible that I was gradually forgiving him, the feelings of warmth, of want and of need outweighing the hatred, overcoming the fact that he coldly and calculatingly killed me with no real motive?

He was showing grief I was certain of it, and maybe it was because of my need for something in the physical world to hold on to, a last remnant of my humanity or perhaps just a willingness to forget… but I found myself forgiving him.

_[A/N – just think its right to end it here just wanted this to be a mini glimmer into Ginny before I carry on with the plot. Hope you like it and thanks for the reviews hope to update very soon however my computer is liable to explode at any moment so I am restricted with the amount of time it can be turned on so I ask that you bear with me and please review! – Silvermoonluna]_


	24. What the Heart Knows

**--Beyond the Grave--**

**Disclaimer: **_Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!_

**Beta Reader**: _Sir Darlon – big thanks I couldn't do this without you!_

**Chapter 22 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder: **_He was showing grief I was certain of it, and maybe it was because of my need for something in the physical world to hold on to, a last remnant of my humanity or perhaps just a willingness to forget… but I found myself forgiving him._

**-- What the Heart Knows --**

So what was it with me? Did I just not care any more, this guy had taken away my most precious possession, my life, and here I was still in love with him. Was I one of those girls the sort who go back to bad men time and time again, become oblivious to all the faults? Was that it?

I mean it's not like you can get a much bigger fault than murder is it?

But at the end of the day that was just it, it didn't matter that I knew he was responsible for my murder, it didn't matter that he was evil, and that he was taking all my friends and family on a rollercoaster ride that could quite possibly kill them. Because I was still in love with him, and no matter how I tried to fight the feelings, to hold them back they still surged forward.

Truth be told, in life I knew that Harry had only to ask me and I would have followed him to the ends of the earth, and now? Now I was in a permanent state of conflict, not knowing where to turn, what to believe, because if he really was evil – why wasn't he doing any of the things you would expect an evil wizard to do?

Every day I saw him fighting to control his power and my heart reached out to him, every day I wanted to hold him, to tell him that despite everything it would all be alright, but I knew even now that I could do nothing. Indeed he didn't even know I existed.

But wait? He did know I still existed, he had seen me, and was his reaction that of a murderer? Was his reaction one of horror? Of fear that I was going to haunt him? It was more one of wonder and sadness but certainly no guilt or fear. I had known Harry Potter for all of my teenage life, was he capable of murder?

And I still didn't know how it was that he could see me and no-one else, and why I vanished whenever we attempted contact.

I say in the back of the classroom giggling as Tonks tripped over a flagstone that was as smooth as they come and sent papers flying everywhere. Harry and Ron both sniggered behind their hands as Hermione's face fell in dismay.

Ron noticing her expression turned to her, "what's up Herm?"

She turned red and pointed to a piece of paper that had fallen onto the cold floor of the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom.

The scroll contained a small neat scrawl that I recognised as Hermione's handwriting, but hearing Ron gasp I followed their gaze, there etched near the top of the scroll in Tonks customary indigo ink was a huge letter B.

I gasped, but of course no one else could hear me. Had it ever happened in her entire time at Hogwarts, Surely this was a first? Ron's urgent whisperings in her ear seemed to reflect my own thoughts, But as invisible as I was to Hermione Ron might have well been just the same.

She sat there her face whiter than a sheet, and her eyes fixed on Tonks with something that almost seemed to be pure loathing.

It was in the common room later that night after most of the Gryffindor's had gone to bed that her response finally took its toll.

"Hermione it's just a bloody B, I spend most of my time at Hogwarts struggling to maintain a C average, and you don't see me going almost catatonic when I get a bad grade!"

She turned to look at him as if in shock, and opened her mouth briefly to speak but the closed it and spun on her heel, heading for the girls dormitories.

I stood unable to decide between following Hermione and staying where Harry would be under my ever watchful gaze.

Making a last minute decision I sent myself to the girls dormitory, top floor where I knew Hermione slept alone in the seventh year rooms. Lavender and Parvati both chose to leave after the owls, believing instead that they're talents were better suited to opening a wizard's cosmetics shop together.

Rather than feeling lonely though Hermione had loved it. A tower room all to herself! A place where she could study and escape the incessant giggling that Parvati and Lavender had provided for her first five years.

Having a single room suited Hermione just fine, and on occasions like this it seemed almost perfect. It provided a refuge, a place where she didn't have to listen to Ron ranting.

A place where she could cry in peace!

I stood watching her as her lower lip trembled and her eyes flooded with tears, Hermione had had a B before, Snape never gave decent marks, but I had never seen this sort of reaction from her.

A quiet knocking caused both of us to turn our heads towards the closed door,

Hermione took a step towards it breathing deeply to compose herself. I meanwhile hopped right through the door to see who had disturbed her.

I was not surprised to see a flustered Harry stood there his broom discarded at his feet and his hand leaning on the heavily grained doorframe. And judging by the resigned sigh from beyond the oak door when he spoke his name a moment later Hermione wasn't surprised either.

"Harry? What are you doing? How did you get here? You know you're not allowed into the girls dormitories!"

Once again she had bounced back to the defiant first year that contended Harry and Ron's blatant disregard for school rules. And bouncing back through the door I saw she was wearing her business face, as she stood facing the door her fists clenched, an expression I had only seen twice, once in the department of Mysteries and once in diagon alley as we fought the dementors. The only question here however was why did she steel herself against Harry, does she know? I wondered does she trust him?

"Does it matter how I got here?" Harry avoided the question "Surely it just matters that I'm here now"

Hermione glared at the wood and if looks could kill then the door would have been in pieces.

"Harry, leave me alone, you'll just take Ron's side anyway! You always do!"

I stick my head through the door to see his reaction and saw what appeared to be a glimmer of triumph quickly flash into his eyes, as he removed his glasses and washed the lenses with the hem of his robe.

"Hermione, Open the door" he demanded changing tact

"Why should i?" she shouted back stubbornly, "What do you care? Go back to your darling Ron and leave me ALONE!"

Harry glared at the door, and to my surprise he wrenched on the door handle and it came open.

Hermione sat up on her bed and wiped her cheek to try and hide the tears that had been there only a moment ago, a moment made evident by the red skin around them.

"I told you to go away" she said getting to her feet. "Don't you ever listen?"

Harry moved menacingly towards her and grabbed her by the shoulder. I hid my eyes realising what would happen next, realising that he would kill her like he had killed me.

But what he did instead hurt me far more that murder ever could, he pressed his lips forcefully against hers, and for a moment I thought she would subdue, but instead she beat against his chest.

"Harry what the hell are you doing!"

her voice was echoed by another, deeper and more menacing.

"That's what I would like to know"

A voice I recognised. A voice I had known my entire life, I turned knowing what I would see.

In front of me in the doorway, just stepping down from a borrowed broom with extremely red ears and an even redder face was my brother.

_Please don't hate me for this, just the way the story needs to go, Sorry Sorry Sorry that I took so long to update, Darlon, I know you disagree with this chapter, but as your not online at the moment I can't show you my next chappie and I think this has already been withheld for long enough., Please review!!! Silvermoonluna_


	25. Love, Death and Magic

**--Beyond the Grave--**

**Disclaimer: **_Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!_

**Beta Reader**: _Sir Darlon – big thanks I couldn't do this without you!_

**Chapter 23 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder: **_In front of me in the doorway, just stepping down from a borrowed broom with extremely red ears and an even redder face was my brother._

**-- Love, Death & Magic --**

How could he? And to think I had almost fell for it, the wounded eyes, and the haunted face. I stood in dismay, as my brother slowly reached into his pocket and hand shaking drew his wand.

"get away from her" he yelled in a voice filled with deadly fury, Hermione, upon realising her hands were still pushed flat against Harry's chest took a step back, drawing away from him as if he were a contagious leper instead of one of her best friends.

Thinking back upon it later, many things could have been avoided that night, and perhaps Hermione wouldn't have got caught in the cross fire had my brother only been able to keep his temper. But Ron is a red head, a Weasley, and our tempers are notoriously bad.

He stood wand pointed at Harry, and Harry watched him, his green eyes filled with an emotion I had never seen there before, an emotion that he had certainly never directed at my brother. Contempt, cold and un-reproachful shined on his face and his lips took a mocking grin, reminiscent of Draco Malfoy.

"What is it Weasley?" He sneered, "Scared she's had a real man now, not one who hides behind his friends cloak tails?"

If it was possible Ron's face took an even deeper hue, and his blue eyes grew cold and steely.

He flicked his wand, barely a swish, and shouted clearly, "Stupefy"

The only other noise was Hermione's "Ron, No" as she pushed Harry out of the way and felt the full force of the spell reflect off her own back.

"Hermione no!" yelled Ron as she crumpled to the floor, barely breathing.

His hatred forgotten, overcome perhaps by a stronger emotion he knelt beside her and cushioned her head in his lap rocking her as if that could make it all better.

Maybe that's why he was caught unawares when Harry grabbed the fallen wand from where it lay and directed it at his back. Maybe that's why he didn't react when Harry uttered a single chilling word. "Cruciatius"

Ron screamed in pain, and Harry turned and fled the dormitory, whisking away his broom and dropping Ron's wand on the top stair.

* * *

How could I? how could I have thought for a moment that that murderous traitor could be anything but a cold blooded killer, how could I have believed that he cared about me? 

He had murdered me, kissed Hermione, attacked my brother; I sat idly on top of a bookcase glaring at Harry in the stacks below as he practised his wandless magic as if nothing had ever happened.

I had found him here an hour earlier, and he looked like he was going to be in for the long haul, practising his magic, trying out curses and hexes, and he would need to.

Because Ron may have been hurt, but Ron was also angry, and while he sat helplessly as Madam Pomfrey fussed over Hermione's wounds he saved up every ounce of anger, I had seen him do it time and again, and he would come looking for Harry, And when he found Harry, well then maybe Lord Voldemort would no longer have to worry about the boy who lived.

And with a sudden burst of clarity it struck me, Harry had always had the support of his friends, the golden trio as they were known at Hogwarts, and what better way to attack Harry than through his friends.

I was right, if Ron took out Harry then there would be no need for Voldemort to ever be involved, at least not on the surface of matters. And by making Harry appear evil, it was a stroke of genius; take away all his credibility, all his support. They had planned this, planned to take him out.

It was as I watched Harry grinning as he had mastered the patronus charm without a wand that the final part of the puzzle fell into place.

If it had been Harry that attacked Ron he would have had no need to use Ron's wand, he could have done the spell with his mind alone. If it had been Harry he would have had his own wand in his pocket.

But if it was an impostor, that person couldn't bring their own wand for fear of discovery, and they couldn't bring Harry's wand because he still had it.

So there was only one question left,

Who was taking the Polyjuice potion?

* * *

A/N - Short Chappie but it needs to end here SilverMoonLuna 


	26. Bewitched & Bewildered

**--Beyond the Grave--**

**Disclaimer: **_Anything you recognize isn't mine – god bless JK!_

**Beta Reader**: _Sir Darlon – big thanks I couldn't do this without you!_

**Chapter 23 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder: **_So there was only one question left. Who was taking the Polyjuice potion?_

**--Bewitched & Bewildered --**

Once again I found myself regretting my feelings of hate for Harry, Just when you thought things couldn't be any stranger they took a nosedive right into the realms of downright weird.

Of course who was I to talk about weird? It's not like a ghost who is in love with her potential killer is particularly normal…

But now, now I was caught in a race against time, or more to the point against Ron, because it was only a matter of time before he came after an unsuspecting Harry, and Harry would not raise a wand against his only friend, or indeed a palm.

I needed to find out who was pretending to be Harry. It had to be someone close enough to know the trio well, someone working from the inside, but then again not that well... after all they didn't know about the wandless magic.

But who could it be? Someone at Hogwarts?

My first thought as always was Snape, but the pieces didn't seem to fit. I couldn't believe it of Snape because as hateful as he was, and as often as we had suspected him in the past, he still had Dumbledore's trust and Dumbledore wasn't a person to be easily deceived.

Besides why would he go to such an elaborate scheme when he was more than capable of creating a draught of sleeping death and slipping it in Harry's food?

As I sat on my favorite chair in the corner of the Gryffindor Common Room, one that had not been used since my death, I looked at the faces of the people around me, could it be one of them?

Neville sat at a desk on the corner trying unsuccessfully to transfigure a book into what I think was meant to be a plant. Unfortunately the result was a very square looking tree with a red trunk and white leaves. Could it be Neville? Could it just be a separate ploy to split the trio?

"No" I told myself, I was right the first time, it had to be something to do with Voldemort, either a plan orchestrated by him, or someone trying to get in his good books by removing Dumbledore golden boy from the picture.

Dean and Seamus sat in front of the fireplace bickering over who was the best quidditch player and several of the girls from my year sat just across the room giggling at them.

It couldn't have been these people, they were Gryffindor's every one, courageous noble and true.

Besides if it was someone trying to get in Voldemort's good graces it was most likely to be a Slytherin.

And then it struck me, A Slytherin whose family had been disgraced, someone who had let Voldemort down, someone needing to get back in his good graces.

Someone who swaggered about Hogwarts as if it were his property, someone who thought of himself as a "real man"… Draco Malfoy.

He fit the criteria perfectly, and I had even thought Harry sounded like him in the attack on Ron and Hermione.

So now I needed to warn Harry, I needed to tell him that Ron was out for his blood. I needed to tell him that Draco had framed him,

I needed to tell him I loved him…

I needed to warn him of the danger he was in.

But how could I? I was a ghost, not permitted contact with the outside world, unable to get even the smallest message across.

Even now my hands were tied, I had worked it out, and I was unable to reach him. But before I did any of this I would have to find him, because at that moment it occurred to me, not just Ron…. Dumbledore, The Ministry, they would be looking too.

In their eyes Harry had performed an unforgivable curse and he would have to pay the consequences.

_A/N – had to end this chapter here – or it would have been too long – posted two chapters anyway so hopefully not too disappointing. _

_Thanks for all your reviews – got me writing again after a period of block._

_Nightmare175 – I'm sorry but your wrong, JK has never stated that none of the Weasley's will die – and going by the sheer number of them its more than likely, I have read every interview she has done, visit her site frequently for updates, and checked this with a person I know who is just as bad if not worse than me when it comes to the Harry Potter. She has even gone so far as to imply that Ron may die before the end of book 7 in her interviews. Thank you for your advice but I am afraid it is wrong. As for a disclaimer stating this story does not follow the facts, I remind you that the name of this site is the meaning of the word fiction alone shows that it will not necessarily be factual. Saying this, I have tried to keep the story as canon as possible to the first 5 books, - Slivermoonluna_


	27. Contacting the Living

**--Beyond the Grave--**

**Disclaimer: **_Anything you recognize isn't mine – god bless JK!_

**Beta Reader**: _Sir Darlon – big thanks I couldn't do this without you!_

**Chapter 23 – Beyond the Grave**

**Reminder: **_In their eyes Harry had performed an unforgivable curse and he would have to pay the consequences._

**-- Contacting the Living --**

I returned to the Library, eager to find some sort of way to tell Harry. Perhaps Jane would be able to help me? Maybe even Cedric, he'd been a ghost longer than me... but first of all I'd ask Jane, she was more likely to be a little forthcoming.

As always Jane was stooped over a book in the far corner of the library, I hurried to her table and sat next to her… "Hi Ginny" she whispered from behind her book so that the Ravenclaw's sat at the nearby table wouldn't hear her.

I explained the situation to her, my urgency and the need to help Harry, but she looked at me with sorrow in her eyes, "I'm sorry Ginny, even if I could help you its forbidden."

"Can't you tell him without mentioning me?" I pleaded, She shook her head slowly, "I'm sorry Ginny, but we're just not permitted to interfere in the lives of the living, it could only complicate matters."

"But ghosts have helped Harry before; they came out of his wand to help him defeat Voldemort in his fourth year"

Jane sat down for a moment thoughtfully, "They weren't ghosts, they were remnants of a person that had already moved onto the afterlife, Just as the heads of Hogwarts leave a piece of themselves in their portraits, Voldemort unwittingly took some of the essence of the Potter's when he performed the death curse."

"But doesn't that mean that part of me would be left in my attacker's wand?" I asked, a light bulb suddenly falling into place. "If I could somehow get my essence out of that wand could I control it to warn Harry?"

"Prior Incantanto" she whispered almost to herself,

"What's that? I asked hastily, desperate for a solution.

"The reverse spell effect" she responded "If Harry were to cast that spell on Draco's wand, it would create ghost images of all his previous spells..."

"and I could come out and tell him" I interrupted excitedly.

"But how will Harry know to do that?" I asked,

She shook her head sadly,"I can't tell him"

"Which means back to square one" I said in dismay.

"If of course" she concluded matter of factly "It was Draco Malfoy that killed you."

I thanked her hastily and rushed out of the library now to find Harry.

So that was it, I had my plan of action; I now knew what needed to be done. But how could I get them to cast the spell, How could Harry prove that he had been framed?

Once again I was surrounded by endless questions and a complete lack of answers.

I sat miserably watching Harry flying around the quidditch pitch, catching the snitch and letting it go only to chase it again.

He looked happy as he flew through the air, unaware of the trouble that was already heading his way.

Unable to warn him I sighed heavily as I saw Dumbledore and Snape approaching the bleachers below.

"Mr. Potter, come down here at once" demanded Dumbledore with a quiet fury that I had never seen before.

Harry flew down to the ground immediately, hopping off his broom as it came to the ground, he ruffled his hair and with a quizzical look approached Dumbledore in the centre of the field.

"Yes sir, anything I can help with?" he asked cautiously, _he had been in enough scrapes of course to know that there was trouble, and for all I knew he could have seen Dumbledore like this before._

"Give me your wand Mr. Potter and follow me" barked Dumbledore and taking the wand he turned sharply and strode towards the castle.

Harry had grown taller over the last few years, but I could see even he was having trouble keeping up with Dumbledore's long strides.

This was it, now I would see if it was really Harry that had attacked us, I was almost certain he was innocent and it all relied now on this interview, because even though Harry had now become a skilled Occlumens, he was no match for Dumbledore, or so I believed at least.

As they reached the office with me following in close succession Dumbledore sat at his desk and studied Harry,

"Professor Snape?" he said in a calmer tone,

Snape turned to look at Dumbledore, until now he had been glaring at the back of Harry's head.

"Please fetch Ronald Weasley; we will get to the bottom of this matter."

Snape nodded and swished out of the room, his huge cloak billowing behind him.

Dumbledore turned once more to Harry,

"Well Harry" he said in a gentler tone of voice, "Is there anything you would like to tell me?"

Harry shook his head slowly "What's all this about Professor?" he asked in a confused voice.

Either Harry was a very good actor, or I was right, he had been framed, and despite the desperate situation I smiled jubilantly at the thought that he hadn't kissed Hermione.

"Very serious accusations have been brought against you by Mr. Weasley"

"Ron?" Harry gasped in shock, "but I haven't seen him all day, besides, we're friends, I haven't done anything."

"Lies will not help you here Mr. Potter, several people have seen you with him today, and several more saw you fleeing the scene of the crime."

"What crime?" Harry asked in confusion.

"I was hoping to get to the bottom of this before Professor Snape returned with Mr. Weasley, but if you persist in these lies, the consequences could be very serious."

"Sir, if you don't believe me, try leglimency, surely that would tell you"

"We've trained you too well Mr. Potter, Its possible for a skilled Occlumens to not only shield their thoughts but project others; the method is just not trustworthy enough."

I groaned in disappointment, my hopes had been relying on that.

A muffled knock sounded through the door and Dumbledore rose,

"come in" he called,

Snape came in closely followed by a very pale Ron.

As Ron spotted Harry just beyond Snape, he pushed past, and pulling back his fist yelled "I'll get you Harry, you hurt her"

Harry held his hands in front of his face, but made no other move to protect himself.

Dumbledore it seemed grew two foot in that moment. "Sit down Mr. Weasley; I will not have that behavior in my school"

Ron turned to Dumbledore as if noticing him for the first time, "Sorry Sir" he responded quietly, and meekly took a seat; I could see however that the tips of his ears were still bright red, a sure sign of anger.

Instead of sitting again Dumbledore strode to the window in the circular room and looking out asked...

"Now if you please Mr. Weasley, tell me from the very start what has happened?"

_My heart sank, Harry would go to Azkaban, Ron would put him there and only I knew the truth…_


End file.
